Guardiola raves about four Fulham stars, thinks £22m star is in the form of his life
Today at 12:45 PM
Pep Guardiola usually has a few words of praise for Manchester City’s opposition and this week was no different with the Premier League champions hosting Fulham.
And while his claim that Fulham usually represents a tough game for his star-studded Man City side does not really stand up to scrutiny when you look at the stats, Pep Guardiola certainly has reason to fear two members of Marco Silva’s side.
Fulham have not beaten Saturday’s opponents Manchester City since Clint Dempsey scored twice in a 3-1 win at the Etihad Stadium back in April 2009. The score between the two sides last season ended 9-1 in City’s favour.
But, with Silva reviving the ailing careers of Adama Traore and Raul Jimenez, Guardiola will need no introduction to the talents of a partnership which burned brightly if briefly at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
While Traore would often set up Jimenez for his trademark crashing headers, the latter turned provider as the former hit a famous brace in a 2-0 win for Wolves at the home of the perennial champions five years ago this month.
If the now-Fulham duo were to repeat the trick this weekend, it would bust coupons up and down the land. But Guardiola, ever the obsessive, is in no mood to downplay the chances of a Cottagers side unbeaten since that opening day loss at Old Trafford.
Man City boss Pep Guardiola hails four Fulham stars
“The only record I see is the past six games [was] the first defeat against [Manchester] United. They didn’t lose [since],” Guardiola says during his Friday press conference.
In addition to Traore and Jimenez, the former Barcelona boss also lauds the £30 million return of Joachim Andersen.
Guardiola praised the towering Dane repeatedly during his time at Crystal Palace and was keen to do so again.
The excellent early-season displays of Alex Iwobi also have Guardiola purring. He believes that the former Arsenal and Everton man – like so many in Marco Silva’s selection – is currently playing the best football of his career.
“They bought interesting players there, especially Andersen. An experienced guy,” Guardiola enthuses. “They are a team who always, always, always create problems, especially at home in the first-half.
“They have a lot of weapons and speed. Iwobi, I have never seen him in the form that he is playing. And of course the speed of Adama always creates problems. Jimenez is back [and he] always has been tough.”
“The structure defensively… it has always been a tough game [against Fulham].”
Adama Traore and Raul Jimenez in top form for Fulham
Fulham defeated Nottingham Forest last time out to move up to sixth place.
A European charge may prove to be beyond the West London outfit in the long haul but, after an impressive campaign last season, the progress Fulham continue to make is credit to a coach who has come a long way since his dismal final few months at Everton.
Silva has Traore playing his best stuff in recent memory, helping to add a long-awaited ruthlessness to the winger’s iconic acceleration. TBR understands that one-time Barcelona flyer Traore could be rewarded with a new deal at Fulham.
With three goals in three starts, meanwhile, veteran hitman Jimenez is well on his way to reaching double figures in the Premier League for the first time since 2019/20.
"We still have big room to improve game by game, training session by training session in order to compete at the best level,” Silva said, hoping to break that so-called Manager of the Month curse after adding September’s award to his collection. “Because the Premier League is so demanding.”
"We always have to look forward. We are pleased with what we've done and the [Player of the Month] nomination of Raul, who is in good shape as well.
“But the main focus is on the pitch. How we can improve as a football club and how we can make the players confident on a matchday."
