Fulham 1 Manchester City 3:A month ago today, on the eve of Manchester City's FA Cup quarter-final with Blackburn, Stuart Pearce was said to be one defeat away from losing his job; his side lost that match, Pearce was confronted by one of his own supporters and the sack looked imminent. Here, as City won their third consecutive away game and moved nine points clear of the relegation zone, his name rang out around Craven Cottage for all the right reasons.
This time it was the Fulham players and their manager, Chris Coleman, who were exposed to abuse from the stands. One win in 15 games has seen the Cottagers drop to within four points of the relegation zone and the three teams below them - Wigan, Sheffield United and West Ham - all have a game in hand.
City arrived without a win at Craven Cottage since 1967 but, after weathering early Fulham pressure, victory always looked likely. They had not conceded a goal in 332 minutes of football and, though that sequence was ended by a Carlos Bocanegra header 14 minutes from time, so resolute is City's defence that the club is surely now safe of relegation. But for their recent resurgence City have Emile Mpenza to thank - the Belgian's goals securing victory over both Middlesbrough and Newcastle - and his contribution yesterday was again most telling.
After 21 minutes he shrugged off Moritz Volz on the left and, aided by Fulham's inability to clear, helped the ball on to Joey Barton. The 24-year-old breezed through the Fulham defence and put the ball beyond Antti Niemi.
City are the only Premiership club to have won every league match in which they have opened the scoring this season and they were in the mood to maintain that record.
On 36 minutes the impressive 19-year-old Michael Johnson disrupted a Fulham attack and fed Barton, who slipped a delightful pass between Volz and Philippe Christanval for DaMarcus Beasley to slot past Niemi.
City were subjected to a mini- onslaught early in the second half but Richard Dunne led his defence impeccably. Conversely, so easily was Fulham's defence cut apart, it is hard to imagine that Coleman used to be a defender.
Liam Rosenior has played every minute of every league match this season but, if Fulham had other options, it is likely he would be banished after his slip-up for City's third. Mpenza launched a hopeful ball forward only for the England Under-21 defender to lose his balance and miss the ball, allowing Darius Vassell to race clear and shoot into the net.
Guardian Service
FULHAM: Niemi, Volz, Christanval, Bocanegra, Rosenior, Routledge (Dempsey 73), Smertin (Radzinski 55), Brown, Davies, McBride, Helguson (Montella 58). Subs not used: Lastuvka, Knight. Booked: Bocanegra.
MANCHESTER CITY: Isaksson, Onuoha, Distin, Dunne, Ball, Jihai, Johnson, Barton, Beasley (Sinclair 81), Vassell (Samaras 85), Mpenza. Subs not used: Weaver, Dabo, Trabelsi. Booked: Beasley, Vassell, Barton.
Referee: S Bennett (Kent).
