Fulham vs Manchester City Predictions

• Manchester City are unbeaten in nine league games, winning on six occasions
• City have won their last 17 meetings with Fulham
• Both teams have scored in 14 of Fulham’s 18 home league games this season

Citizens can successfully secure third spot

Just three points separate Manchester City in third and seventh-placed Nottingham Forest going into the final day of the Premier League season and promises to ensure plenty of drama.

A point may be enough for the Citizens to guarantee the top-five finish that rewards them with Champions League football but they will be targeting all three at Fulham, who currently have a top-half finish in their grasp.

The Citizens responded well to last weekend’s FA Cup final defeat to Crystal Palace at Wembley, recording a 3-1 victory at home to Bournemouth on Tuesday, but they’ve been in indifferent form away from the Etihad.

Pep Guardiola’s side have won only four of their last 14 away league games and those victories have come against Leicester, Ipswich, Tottenham and Everton, who are all bottom-eight outfits.

City’s last away trip saw them frustrated in a goalless draw at Southampton and many may feel that they are on the short side at Craven Cottage, where Fulham have beaten Newcastle, Liverpool, Brighton and Nottingham Forest this season.

Arsenal were also held to a 1-1 draw at the Cottage and, while Fulham’s levels have dropped significantly since early March, last weekend’s 3-2 victory at Brentford should have done them the world of good.

Visitors hoping to maintain dominance

However, City will be desperate to claim victory and guarantee themselves third spot in what has been an uncharacteristically poor season and they have won their last 17 meetings with Fulham, which includes a 3-2 success in the reverse fixture at the Etihad in October.

So it is hard to oppose the Citizens given what is at stake and they can win a high-scoring clash. City’s last seven victories over Fulham have all featured three or more goals and this can follow the trend.

Fulham showed the attacking dangers they possess in last weekend’s 3-2 win at an in-form Brentford and they could get some joy against City on the counter-attack.

Cottagers have counter-attacking qualities

Both teams have scored in 14 of Fulham’s 18 home league games this season but they have lost their last two at Craven Cottage, going down 2-1 to Chelsea and 3-1 to Everton.

City, virtually back to full strength in forward areas, should be able to exploit those defensive deficiencies and 11 of their last 18 league games have gone over 2.5 goals.

The visitors can edge to a vital victory and correct-score punters should opt for a 2-1 success, which has been the scoreline in two of City’s last five wins over Fulham. The Cottagers have also lost by that margin in three of their last six league defeats.