Manchester City Survive Nine-Goal Thriller as Haaland Reaches Century in Wild Fulham Clash

Manchester City survived one of the most dramatic Premier League matches of the season, edging Fulham 5-4 in a nine-goal thriller at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night. The victory was overshadowed by a historic individual achievement as Erling Haaland opened the scoring to become the fastest player in Premier League history to reach 100 goals, achieving the milestone in just 111 appearances.

Haaland's 16th-minute strike set the tone for what would become an unforgettable evening in Manchester. Tijjani Reijnders extended City's lead before Phil Foden added a brace, with his second goal coming early in the second half to give the hosts what appeared to be a commanding 4-0 advantage. City seemed destined for a routine victory as they dominated possession and carved open the Fulham defence with alarming regularity.

However, Fulham refused to surrender meekly. Alex Iwobi pulled one back in the 57th minute, igniting hope of an unlikely comeback. What followed was one of the most remarkable turnarounds in recent memory. Substitute Samuel Chukwueze emerged as the catalyst for Fulham's resurgence, scoring twice in six minutes—first in the 72nd minute and again in the 78th—to make it 4-3 and set up a grandstand finish.

The visitors completed their remarkable comeback when another substitute found the net to level the score at 4-4, sending the travelling supporters into delirium and leaving the Etihad in stunned silence. For several minutes, it appeared Fulham might complete one of the greatest comebacks in Premier League history. The momentum had shifted entirely, and City looked vulnerable for the first time all evening.

But Pep Guardiola's side showed their championship mettle in the closing stages. A fifth goal restored City's lead and ultimately proved to be the winner, though not before several nervy moments as Fulham pressed desperately for another equalizer. The final whistle brought relief for the home supporters after a match that had seemed comfortably won just 30 minutes earlier.

The result keeps Manchester City firmly in the Premier League title race, though the defensive frailties on display will concern Guardiola. For Fulham, despite the defeat, their spirited comeback demonstrated the fighting quality that has characterized their season. Haaland's historic achievement will dominate the headlines, but this match will be remembered as much for Fulham's remarkable second-half performance as for the Norwegian striker's latest record-breaking feat.