Manchester City 2 Fulham 0

Did anyone really think we`d get anything out of our trip to the Etihad Stadium, or did we go there looking to pull off a shock that would have stunned football as well as our small traveling band of supporters?

I`ll leave you to decide the answer to that one!

But, going to difficult places like the Etihad, it`s essential that you keep things tight, silence the home support and build from that base, well we failed miserably on all three fronts as far as that was concerned with City taking a lead in the second minute, through the excellent David Silva.

The goal came after James Milner had won possession, Edin Dzeko unleashed a shot from outside the area, a shot that Mark Schwarzer could only parry into the path of Silva who coolly slotted home.

The goal could have seen the floodgates open, but City were not at their flowing best and Fulham could have gotten back on level terms when Steve Sidwell saw his header headed against the post and Berbatov showed disdain for Bryan Ruiz when he failed o cut back the ball, to the Bulgarian who was in space.

As the game progressed, you hoped the improbable might happen and that Fulham would glad an unlikely equaliser but one moment of class, coupled with some exquisite finishing, in the sixty-ninth minute, put an end to that.

Silva won the ball Glichy fed a cross in, Tevez produced an expert dummy leaving Silva to chip the ball over Schwarzer.

The optimistic amongst us kind of hoped that we could emulate the team that produced the great escape, when Kamara inspired us to come back from 2-0 down to make it 3-2, but to wasn`t to be and that worrying slip towards the relegation zone continues.

Click here to join in the debate on the club forum.