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Manchester City ease past Fulham with Sterling and De Bruyne sparkling

<span>Photograph: Dave Thompson/AFP/Getty Images</span>
Photograph: Dave Thompson/AFP/Getty Images

Manchester City were in exhibition mode, winning this 10th Premier League outing with ease. Kevin De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling, Riyad Mahrez particularly sparkled, their play at times sublime and just too good for Fulham.

It means City are in admirable form as they approach next Saturday’s visit to Manchester United for the derby but Pep Guardiola is still not satisfied.

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“The finishing was wasteful,” he said. “We know we have to improve this, but it’s important to keep creating the chances. In the last 20 minutes we lost too many simple balls. We have to do the simple things better. That is the next step.”

The manager was full of praise for De Bruyne. “Just look at how he runs and fights, as a modern footballer today he is an example.”

John Stones was retained meaning no place again for Aymeric Laporte, Phil Foden also missing out and thus extending his spell out of the league XI to six weeks, while Kyle Walker was rested.

City were ahead as early as the fifth minute, though before this Mahrez put in Sterling only for his shot to be too close to Alphonse Areola, in a first illustration of the profligacy Guardiola bemoaned.

Seconds later Fulham were behind. Jonathan Moss denied a handball appeal to wave play on and City could thank the referee as De Bruyne rolled possession to Sterling. This time the finish was true, to Areola’s right.

The visitors responded by winning a corner, but Harrison Reed’s delivery yielded nothing.

City’s high-speed passing game took over as Benjamin Mendy flipped the ball to Mahrez, who passed instantly to De Bruyne and his first-time effort was saved.

Scott Parker had his team trying to press from the front with Ruben Loftus-Cheek, the most advanced midfielder, joining Ademola Lookman and Ivan Cavaleiro, Fulham’s front two. The problem here was obvious: City are so accomplished at moving the ball that they can – and did – attack at will.

Rodri, Ilkay Gündogan, João Cancelo and Mahrez strung one series of passes together that ended with a corner. Nothing came of that, but De Bruyne then slipped Mendy in and his rocket of a delivery was repelled for a throw-in.

City were about to go two ahead. Cancelo’s pass found Gabriel Jesus, who teed the ball back around the corner to the right-back. The Portuguese roved forward and hit a firm pass to the effervescent Sterling. His Fred Astaire act had Joachim Andersen lunging and down went the England man: Moss awarded a spot-kick and De Bruyne buried it.

Fulham were overwhelmed but City’s grip came close to being loosened by the kind of calamity defending that had previously caused Stones to be dropped. As he went to pass back to Ederson, the 26-year‑old beat the advancing keeper and nearly rolled the ball into the empty goal, Stones failing to look to confirm where the Brazilian was. Guardiola stamped his feet in anger and Stones wore a haunted expression.

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City were soon up the other end, a delightful Mahrez chip looping on to Sterling’s foot: his volley required a flying save from Areola. The half ended with one more Sterling attempt, which ricocheted out for a corner and Fulham surely faced another long 45 minutes. So it proved.

Following a brief foray when yellow shirts flooded City’s half, they were back by their goal, barely scrambling away a Mahrez cross aimed for Jesus.

The visitors were bewitched by De Bruyne’s ability to glide in possession, the Belgian releasing Jesus, who tapped the ball back to De Bruyne and the left-foot shot pinged off the bar.

City were rampant. De Bruyne again shot powerfully with his left foot, though once more Areola was up to the challenge. Rúben Dias then spooned over a De Bruyne corner as City entered the closing stages still searching for a third.

They failed to find one but Guardiola can be confident regarding what lies ahead for his side.

Parker said: “There’s no shame in losing to a quality side. I asked for spirit and personality and I thought we had that.”