When Erling Haaland stuck away a 95th-minute penalty for ten-man Manchester City back in November, the Etihad erupted. The players did a lap of honour, and Pep Guardiola would call the win 'the moment' of his time at the club.
"We didn’t win the Premier League here today, of course, but this moment makes sense of our job for all of us," the jubilant manager said in his post-match press conference, noting that the win and celebrations showed him that his players and staff were 'still there' in wanting to win the title after seven years under his leadership.
That November win came after a busy run as the World Cup approached, but City would lose their final game before the mid-season break next time out against Brentford. Fast forward five months, and Guardiola will be looking for another 'moment' when they face Fulham again.
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Part of the reason the November win sparked so much elation was because City had played 65 minutes with ten men following Joao Cancelo's red card. Guardiola had been annoyed that Cancelo put himself in a position to get sent off as last man, telling him he should have pulled out of a challenge and let Ederson deal with the resulting shot on goal.
That decision was arguably the beginning of the end of Cancelo's season at City, and maybe his City career as a whole. City would go toe-to-toe with Fulham for the next hour, bringing on Haaland off the bench on his return from injury to rescue the game. Kevin De Bruyne won a penalty and Haaland secured the three points with the last kick of the game.
Guardiola would take a win with far less drama, and less self-inflicted hurdles to overcome, when City face Fulham again on Sunday. He will also hope that his side learn the lessons that came from the high of the Haaland penalty when they were dismal against Brentford at the Etihad next time out - or after the win at Arsenal in February when they could only draw with Nottingham Forest in the following game.
Now City face Fulham after another high of beating Arsenal again to take control of the title race, they can show how far they have come this season since that November evening by getting three points - and in a far less dramatic fashion. Control and calm heads will be the requirement this time around, rather than the hectic win at the Etihad.
"After seven years, you always have doubts," Guardiola said after the home win against Fulham. "Do people follow you, are they tired, are people annoyed in their jobs, many thousands of millions of meetings, training session and travel, but today you say, wow, you see they are there.
“They still want to do it, they are still alive and they make us so, so proud. We won because my players are beyond exceptional in all departments.”
City won't win the Premier League on Sunday, just like they didn't in November. They can, though, take another huge step towards the title and show they can keep emotions in check. It was notable that there were more celebrations after beating Fulham just 13 games into the season than the huge title demolition against Arsenal this week.
Now City's game-faces are on, and if they can secure a low-key, routine win on Sunday it would arguably be a better win than Guardiola's 'best moment'.
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