"You do feel hemmed in" - Mark Lawrenson predicts the scoreline for Fulham vs Manchester City
Pundit Mark Lawrenson has backed Manchester City to beat Fulham at Craven Cottage in their Premier League clash on Sunday, April 30.
The Cityzens come into the game on the back of an excellent 4-1 win over title rivals Arsenal on April 26. They are now just two points behind the Gunners atop the table with two games in hand.
Fulham, meanwhile, suffered a 1-0 defeat against Aston Villa at Villa Park in their previous game. They are 10th in the league table and have won just two of their previous five games, losing the other three.
In his column for Paddy Power, Lawrenson predicted that it will be a good game but City will beat Fulham on Sunday. He wrote:
"Fulham will give Manchester City a good game. The thing about playing at Craven Cottage is that you do feel hemmed in but, the way that Man City are at the moment, they’re just outstanding."
Prediction: Fulham 0-2 Manchester City
The reverse fixture between the two sides ended in a narrow 2-1 win for Manchester City. Julian Alvarez and Andreas Pereira scored for their respective sides before Joao Cancelo was sent off.
City still managed to find the winner via a stoppage-time goal from Erling Haaland.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola on motivating his players
Pep Guardiola has claimed that he mostly speaks about tactics with his players rather than giving motivational speeches. He explained that the players know the importance of a big game and don't need his words as motivation.
Ahead of Manchester City's clash against Fulham, Guardiola said (via mancity.com):
"I don’t give motivational speeches. Sometimes the voice is more calm or aggressive. I have to lift them, or against Arsenal, I didn’t have to motivate. They knew perfectly, even in the warm up. I always ask how they warm up and they said, relaxed, so calm. Sometimes the warm up is flat, sometimes they talk a lot. It’s the feeling, important to arrive at the right moment."
He added:
"The players know what they have to do, for example v Madrid, speeches? They know what they’re playing for, they don’t need words. They know how nice, important and privileged they are to be there."
City have some big games coming up as they look to win their third Premier League title in a row. They have also reached the FA Cup final, where they will face rivals Manchester United on June 3.
City will take on Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals, with the first leg taking place at the Santiago Bernabeu on May 9.