Fulham

The celebrations between a group of City players at full-time to preserve a clean sheet epitomised the togetherness that has been forged and the character they are able to display.

The result at Anfield appears to have given City and Guardiola renewed belief that they are capable of chasing down Arsenal, despite not being at their rampant best this season.

City have the know-how of getting the job done, having been top dogs in six of the past eight seasons, while Arsenal will be hoping there isn’t a familiar story to the past three campaigns when they have finished runners-up.

Former Manchester City goalkeeper Shay Given told BBC Radio Live: “There are still fragilities we haven’t seen in the past perhaps, but they still have the armoury I think to go on a crazy run now and be unbeaten and all that stuff.

“It’s not that big of a statement to say that. The manner in which they won on Sunday, the psychological side. They have gone ‘this is ours for the taking’.

“The belief runs through the whole club and fans where they think, ‘do you know what, we still have a great chance’. That will give them belief for this run-in.”

The weight of expectation will lie heavily on Arsenal‘s shoulders before facing the Bees, with an uncomfortable night’s sleep in store after seeing City take apart Fulham in a clinical first-half showing.

But Arsenal know they can respond by claiming three points at the G Tech Stadium and if they follow it up by beating bottom side Wolves next Wednesday, the tantalising prospect of a nine-point lead awaits.

The two sides meet in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday 22 March with the chance of inflicting the first direct psychological blow.

Recent history shows that seven of the last 12 winners of the EFL Cup have gone on to win at least one other trophy in the same season, highlighting the importance of claiming the trophy at Wembley next month.

They are scheduled to meet at Etihad Stadium in the Premier League in April but the rivalry could see them face each other another three times if they progress in both the Champions League and FA Cup.

While Arsenal did not sign anyone in the January transfer window, City added Antoine Semenyo, who has scored five goals already, and England international Marc Guehi, who contributed to a clean sheet.

Guardiola said his side are “growing”, adding: “We were together, more calm with the ball, we made inside, outside [runs]. I would say the position was not perfect for Nico O’Reilly and Phil [Foden] but sometimes it happens to be in better positions, but in general really pleased.

“We suffered a lot at Fulham and today, after physically and emotionally at Anfield, it is really tricky but we talked a lot and I said ‘guys we have to do it again’ and we did it.”

Manchester United produce stunning winner to beat Fulham 3-2 in Premier League thriller at Old Trafford.

Manchester United interim manager Michael Carrick extended his perfect start as Benjamin Sesko’s stoppage-time strike sealed a pulsating 3-2 win over Fulham on Sunday.

United took the lead through Casemiro’s first-half header and looked in command when Matheus Cunha netted after the interval at Old Trafford.

In an incredible finale, Raul Jimenez’s penalty with five minutes left gave Fulham hope before Kevin’s wonder-goal hauled the visitors level in stoppage time.

To United’s immense credit, they hit straight back as the much-maligned Sesko’s fourth goal in his last four games sealed Carrick’s third successive victory.

After new manager Carrick masterminded surprise wins over Manchester City and Premier League leaders Arsenal, this remarkable encounter suggested the former United midfielder might have the Midas touch.

Unbeaten in their last seven league matches, United moved up to fourth place as their bid to qualify for next season’s Champions League gathers pace.

Reaching the Champions League would be a significant statement for Carrick, who was sacked by second-tier Middlesbrough last year.

Only once in former manager Ruben Amorim’s turbulent 14-month reign did United win three games in a row. And Carrick has matched that run within weeks of his appointment until the end of the season.

United’s hierarchy may have to consider hiring Carrick on a permanent basis if he can continue his impressive run.

Whether that is enough to appease the 1958 Manchester United fans group is another matter after they staged a protest against the owners outside Old Trafford before kickoff.

Hundreds of fans, some wearing clown masks, gathered to express their frustration with United’s decline under the Glazer family and the lack of improvement since co-owner Jim Ratcliffe took charge of football operations.

The group claimed United are “being dragged through chaos by clown ownership” and are “run like a circus”.

Fans chanted against the owners and held aloft banners as flares filled the air on Sir Matt Busby Way.

When the smoke cleared, Carrick’s intuition paid off as he brought Cunha into the starting lineup to replace the injured Patrick Dorgu after the Brazilian scored the winner at Arsenal last weekend.

Only Arsenal had taken more points than in-form Fulham over the previous eight games, but United found the formula to end that strong spell.

United thought they had won a penalty for Jorge Cuenca’s foul on Cunha.

But a VAR check showed the offence took place just outside the area.

It was only a temporary reprieve for Fulham as United took the lead from the resulting free kick in the 19th minute.

Bruno Fernandes swung his delivery to the far post, and Casemiro rose highest to thump a towering header past Bernd Leno.

United struck again in the 56th minute with Cunha’s sixth goal this season.

It was a goal made in Brazil as Casemiro’s clever no-look pass found Cunha inside the Fulham area, and he smashed a fine finish past Leno from an acute angle.

Fulham were controversially denied a lifeline when VAR disallowed Cuenca’s 65th-minute goal.

Samuel Chukwueze was ruled offside by the narrowest of margins when he prodded Jimenez’s free kick to Cuenca.

But United were wobbling and Jimenez converted an 85th-minute penalty after the Mexican was fouled by Harry Maguire.

United looked to have collapsed in stoppage time when Kevin cut in from the right wing and curled a sublime strike into the far corner from the edge of the area.

Two minutes after Kevin’s leveller, United showed their spirit as Sesko took Fernandes’s pass and drilled high into the net from 12 yards to spark wild celebrations.

Bobb has fallen down the pecking order at City after the January arrival of Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth.

“I know there are rumours, I know there are talks,” manager Pep Guardiola said on Saturday after City’s win over Wolves.

Asked if Bobb wants to leave the club, Guardiola replied: “I think so.”

Bobb, who has also had interest from Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund, has featured 15 times for City this season without scoring.

He last played on 17 December against Brentford in the Carabao Cup, when he hobbled off injured inside the opening 20 minutes.

Fulham have lost only one of their last seven Premier League games under Silva and sit seventh in the table following their 2-1 win over Brighton on Saturday.

Bobb has featured six times for Norway this year, helping them qualify for this summer’s World Cup, and would unite with compatriot Sander Berge at Craven Cottage.

He missed almost the whole of last season after fracturing a bone in his leg during training in August 2024.