Manchester Metropolis minimize Arsenal’s lead on the prime of the Premier League to simply two factors after hanging on to win a traditional at Fulham, as Erling Haaland broke yet one more document.
The Gunners may have the prospect to reply once they face Brentford on Wednesday however Pep Guardiola’s aspect confirmed sufficient – in assault, anyway – to verify that we do certainly have a title race on our palms this season.
They raced right into a 5-1 lead at Craven Cottage however then shut off and ultimately have been hanging on for 3 important factors.
Haaland grew to become the quickest participant to succeed in 100 Premier League targets as he put Metropolis forward, reaching his century on his 111th appearance, beating Alan Shearer’s long-standing mark of 124 video games. The Norway striker is the thirty fifth participant to hitch the 100 membership.
Haaland ought to have put Metropolis forward inside six minutes after being performed by on purpose however hit the within of a put up when he seemed sure to attain.
The 25-year-old then smashed the opener within the driving London rain with a magnificence for his fifteenth league strike of the season, assembly Jeremy Doku’s low cross from extensive on the left with a fizzing left-footed shot.
Metropolis have been discovering their toes and made it two earlier than the break with one other high-quality purpose. Haaland was the supplier this time, rolling his man earlier than enjoying in Tijjani Reijnders, who completed previous Bernd Leno with a beautiful chip for his first purpose since his debut.
Foden, again to his finest kind in latest weeks, made it three when Leno’s frail punch out from a nook was collected and hammered again in left-footed.
Metropolis have been purring however switched off for Emile Smith-Rowe to chop the deficit in first-half stoppage time with a beautiful deft header previous Gigi Donnarumma from an inconceivable angle.
However Foden took simply three minutes of the second half to make it 4-1, firing in on the close to put up after Haaland had helped on one other low cross from Doku.
Doku was concerned in every little thing and hit a curling effort that deflected excessive over the hapless Leno and into the nook – a strike that was credited as a Sander Berge personal purpose.
It was the earliest ever that Fulham have conceded 5 instances in a Premier League sport however they reacted immediately to tug one again, Alex Iwobi hitting a wonderful curling shot residence from the sting of the field.
Haaland headed in opposition to the put up and Fulham made it 5-3 moments later when substitute Samuel Chukwueze lashed in a free ball on the half volley.
Chukwueze then repeated the trick from one other half-cleared cross within the 78th minute to scuff a shot throughout purpose and in to make it 5-4.
It has been 12 years since a Premier League match noticed 10 targets scored and regardless of Fulham’s finest efforts in eight added minutes they weren’t in a position to power a leveller.
