Manchester City secured a victory over Fulham, with Jérémy Doku contributing to the scoreline alongside a brace from Mateo Kovacic. In the absence of Rodri, City has shown some vulnerability, prompting Pep Guardiola to explore alternative strategies. Kovacic stepped up in Rodri's role, matching his goal tally from the previous season by scoring an equalizer and then adding a second goal for the team. However, the champions appeared more exposed defensively, as evidenced by Andreas Pereira's opening goal for Fulham and Rodrigo Muniz's late strike in the 88th minute. This openness was further highlighted during the second half, where City’s possession play culminated in Josko Gvardiol making a crucial block against Raúl Jiménez’s shot from close range.