Premier League 2018/19: Manchester City vs Fulham

Few expected Fulham to upset the reigning Premier League champions at the Etihad and despite a good effort Manchester City were head and shoulders above the Londoners. In this tactical analysis we look at how Pep Guardiola defeated Slavisa Jokanovic men to keep the pace with Liverpool and Chelsea.

Manchester Citys 4-3-3

Pep Guardiola has a reputation as a tactical mastermind who tweaks his side in previously unseen ways. Against Fulham, however, he set City out in a classic 4-3-3. The back-four picked up fairly standard positions and the wingers hugged the touchline. In midfield, Fernandinho sat deep with the two Silvas, Bernardo and David, played in each half-space.

This setup gave City perfect coverage of the five vertical lines in the final third. Sterling and Sane played in the wide spaces, Aguero in the central space, David Silva in the left-sided half-space and Bernardo in the right-sided half-space. The fullbacks, Fabian Delph and Kyle Walker, positioned themselves slightly inwards when attacking to provide a diagonal passing option to the wingers and to guard against counter-attacks. One example of this can be seen below with Delph on the ball centrally and Sane wide. The front five of City create width and central options across the frontline.

David Silvas