Mark Lawrenson states his prediction for Fulham v Man City
Mark Lawrenson expects Manchester City to beat Fulham at Craven Cottage on Saturday
Mark Lawrenson is backing Manchester City to ease to a 2-0 win at Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday evening.
The Premier League leaders bounced back from a 2-0 loss to Manchester United last weekend with a resounding 5-2 victory over Southampton at The Etihad on Wednesday night.
Goals from Kevin De Bruyne, Riyad Mahrez and Ilkay Gundogan gave Manchester City a comfortable win against the Saints to restore their 14-point lead at the top of the table.
Manchester City have won 22 of their last 23 games in all competitions, only suffering a defeat by their derby rivals at the Etihad Stadium earlier this month.
Fulham recorded one of their biggest victories of the 2020-21 Premier League last weekend after the Cottagers secured a 1-0 victory over defending champions Liverpool FC.
Scott Parker’s side scored a second-half winner courtesy of Mario Lemina’s clinical finish to give the west London side hope of beating the relegation drop.
Fulham have won three of their last six Premier League games to hoist the Cottagers level on points with Brighton.
Former Liverpool FC defender Lawrenson is backing Manchester City to secure a 2-0 win over Fulham at Craven Cottage on Saturday.
“Fulham were fantastic at Anfield last weekend and fully deserved their victory over Liverpool,” Lawrenson told BBC Sport.
“With three months of the season to go, they have given themselves a fighting chance of staying up, and you just know they will give it a good go in this game too.
“This is obviously a much bigger test, though. Manchester City’s long winning run was ended by neighbours Manchester United but I think that defeat could end up doing Pep Guardiola’s side some good.
“In my time playing for Liverpool, we would go on long unbeaten runs or whatever and they became the focus in the media. They shouldn’t be. Sometimes it would almost be a case of ‘thank god for that’ when we lost, just so people would stop throwing those numbers at you all the time.
“Also, a defeat at the right time can concentrate the mind for the tests that are to come – the old ‘short, sharp shock’ if you like, because there is nothing worse than your players starting to think that you can’t be beaten.
“Apart from the fact it was against their rivals, Sunday was probably a ‘good’ defeat for City, because it is not going to stop them winning the Premier League.”
Manchester City were 2-0 winners against Fulham in December thanks to goals from Raheem Sterling and De Bruyne.
