Man City 3 Fulham 0

I guess it was a result that was only to be expected.

A high-flying Manchester City team, backed by oodles of cash, were always going to be too strong for a Fulham side that, on the road looks far different from that which graces Craven Cottage.

Martin Jol restored Mark Schwarzer to the keepers` position whilst there were also places in the starting line-up for Chris Baird, Dickson Etuhu and the fit-again Moussa Dembele.

In conditions that were to deteriorate as the game went on, City were to get off to the ideal start. Having tested Schwarzer, through a shot from Dzeko, Mike Dean pointed to the spot, after ten minutes, inferring that Adam Johnson had been tripped, by Chris Baird, in the area. Those who studied the incident afterwards had their doubts as it looked very much like Johnson had thrust a leg out to make sure he made contact with Baird.

Stepping up to the spot, Sergio Aguero had the air of a man who just knew he wasn`t going to miss and that proved to be the case with the Argentine striker`s penalty carrying too much power for Schwarzer to get to.

A goal down, and with the snow getting heavier, it was always going to be a tough challenge for Fulham to get back on level terms and on the half hour mark matters got just that little bit harder.

A move involving Kolarov and Aguero saw Johnson feed a ball into the six yard box that Baird managed to divert into his own net. 2-0 and a mountain to climb. Of course there were thoughts of that Diomansy Kamara inspired comeback that kick-started the great escape that season but, deep down, you just knew this Fulham side weren`t up to that sort of miracle.

But perhaps another sort of miracle could save us. With the snow getting heavier and heavier by the minute there were whispers that the game might be abandoned. But those whispers obviously didn`t reach the officials who seemed intent on finishing the spectacle even if it did mean play being stopped a couple of time sot clear the laying snow form the pitch markings.

For many Fulham supporters, matters were turning to the prospect of an awful journey south in conditions that were deteriorating by the minute. On the pitch though, there was one last moment that confirmed we were to have a long, miserable drive south.

In the seventy-second minute, Aguero picked up the ball, skipped past a pedestrian Senderos and set up Dzeko to fire home past Schwarzer. Game set and match to City and snow jokes about how long it took this poor soul to drive the distance from Manchester to West London in Scott of the Antarctic weather!



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