In a match that will undoubtedly live long in the memory, Manchester City secured a thrilling 5-4 away victory over Fulham, a game where Erling Haaland once again etched his name into the history books.
The Norwegian striker netted his 100th Premier League goal, reaching this remarkable milestone faster than anyone else in the competition's history, achieving it in just 111 appearances.
Following the final whistle, Pep Guardiola, visibly relieved yet in a humorous mood, commented on his team's dramatic win.
The Catalan manager admitted he hadn't anticipated such a turn of events, especially towards the end, and joked about the anxiety he experienced. “Did you guys have fun? Great! Right?” he quipped to reporters, adding, “Me? Oh my God! I lost my hair.” Guardiola mentioned that in the final minutes, his attention was more on the clock than on the game itself.
He also acknowledged the need for defensive improvements, emphasizing that his team became overly anxious after Nico Gonzalez's sending off. “I know you'll ask me what happened, but I don't have an answer. This is the Premier League,” he stated pointedly about the match that nearly slipped from City's grasp.
Continuing in the same jocular vein, he addressed the press: “With the score at 1-5, it was all over. You started writing your articles… ‘City are finally back.’ And then, you threw them in the bin and started all over again,” eliciting laughter in the room.
In closing, Guardiola underscored the emotional nature of football. “I'm sad to tell you that today we did incredible things… Incredible, because I know how tough this team is,” he concluded, referring to Fulham's quality.