Man City 1 Fulham 1

8/7/2019 Man City 1 Fulham 1

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Man City 1 Fulham 1: Hughes in touchline

clash with Mancini on Eastlands return

Mark Hughes gained sweet revenge for his dismissal as Manchester City

manager 14 months ago by virtually ending their Premier League titlechallenge.

Damien Duff's leveller just after half-time was enough to deny the Bluesvictory, leaving them 10 points adrift of leaders Manchester United, having

played a game more.

And ill-feeling between Blues' bosses past and present erupted with an angryexchange at the final whistle, when Roberto Mancini did not appear to look athis predecessor at the post-match handshake, leading to Hughes pulling his

hand away in disgust.

Mancini has far more to worry about.

Look into my eyes: Mark Hughes didn't take kindly to Roberto Mancini's post match reaction


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If Tottenham and Chelsea win their games in hand, City will find themselves

outside the top four.

And, having complained so often about the huge number of fixtures his team

are having to play, Mancini must be concerned about how meekly they fadedonce the Cottagers had levelled Mario Balotelli's ninth goal of the season.

Having let a number of squad men leave on loan, Mancini now finds injuryrobbing him of others and far better will be required on Wednesday if City

are to dispose of Aston Villa to reach the FA Cup quarter-finals.

Rasping: Balotelli (right) watches as his shot flies past Mark Schwarzer to give City the lead

Fulham headed north boasting a proud record of just one defeat in their last

seven league encounters at City.

The most famous, a 3-2 win three seasons ago after the Blues had taken atwo-goal lead, saved them from the drop.

These days, City are a far stronger outfit, as Fulham boss Mark Hughes could

testify given he was sacked 14 months ago because owner Sheikh Mansour

felt the Welshman had fallen marginally short of the exacting standards hewas set.


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Hughes' successor Roberto Mancini is doing better, although he has spent

another huge pot of money to achieve it.

Welcome back: Carlos Tevez and Mark Hughes shake hands before City's draw with Fulham


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Yet, with David Silva missing due to an ankle problem and City in the middle

of what could turn into 15 matches in seven weeks, the hosts were alacklustre during the opening stages.

Balotelli went close on a couple of occasions but so did Fulham, whoseskipper Danny Murphy watched his rising drive fly over midway through thehalf.

With the atmosphere flat as well, City needed something to raise them.

For once, Carlos Tevez, sporting a tight perm, was outdone, both in thefashion stakes and who should score.

Balotelli's 'Mr T-style' dyed blonde hair was fairly distinctive. His goal was

better.

Exchanging a couple of short passes with Tevez, the Italy striker was giventoo much room by Murphy and promptly despatched an excellent shot past

Mark Schwarzer.

Crunch! Mario Balotelli is fouled by Fulham's Brede Hangeland during the sides' PremierLeague match


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Had Aleksandar Kolarov showed even a small amount of awareness when he

streaked into the box minutes later, City would have had a second.

Instead, the Serbian ignored a posse of expectant team-mates, smashing a

shot into the side-netting from an impossible angle.

Fulham kept battling, although there was rather too much aggression from

Clint Dempsey, who after engaging in bad-tempered exchanges with GarethBarry, Yaya Toure and Pablo Zabaleta, was summoned by referee Peter

Walton to receive a lecture from Murphy.

But Dempsey's attitude belied a fierce Fulham determination. And within twominutes of the restart they were level.

The execution was simplicity itself.

Brede Hangeland sent Andrew Johnson flying down the right wing.

The former Everton star galloped on a few paces before drilling a cross low

into the area, which Duff arrived with perfect timing to tuck home from closerange.


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Enlarge

Leveller: Damien Duff celebrates after scoring Fulham's equaliser

As City's response was limited to a Balotelli mis-kick after Zabaleta had

taken advantage of Hangeland's slip to pull a cross back to the near post andholes were appearing with alarming regularity in the hosts' midfield, Edin

Dzeko was sacrificed as Mancini abandoned his three-man attack.

The extra solidity Patrick Vieira brought to midfield nearly paid dividendstoo as Balotelli lifted a pass over the Fulham defence to release Tevez.

Mark Schwarzer got his angles right though, pushing the South American's

effort just wide.

The veteran Australian needed every inch of his massive frame to touch a

dipping Kolarov effort over as City began to build up some momentum,although as it turned out, Fulham looked more plausible winners in the latter

stages.
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Dempsey and Dembele both went close as Duff terrorised the City defence

from his right flank station.

Balotelli suffered the ire of his own supporters when he blazed over two

minutes' from time, which proved to be City's last chance.

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Man City 1 Fulham 1