Man City vs Fulham LIVE: Pep absent as champions aim to continue perfect start

Pep Guardiola's side are the only team in the top-flight to win all of their opening three games, propelling the champions to the top of the table.

They were without Guardiola last time out as the treble winners snatched a late three points away at Sheffield United under assistant Juanma Lillo.

And City's manager will continue his recovery from surgery as his team eye a fourth straight victory with the Cottagers visiting the Etihad.

Marco Silva's side have had a mixed start to the campaign, losing at home to Brentford before drawing away at Arsenal and knocking Tottenham out the Carabao Cup.

Man City vs Fulham: How to follow

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This Premier League clash will take place on Saturday, September 2.

Kick-off at the Etihad Stadium is scheduled for 3pm.

Due to the 3pm blackout rule in the UK, the game will not be available to watch.

talkSPORT will keep you updated on all the action with Adrian Durham on GameDay Live.

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Man City vs Fulham: Team news

Kevin De Bruyne and John Stones are expected to remain on the sidelines for City.

However, Manuel Akanji should return after missing the Sheffield United game through illness while Phil Foden will look to move back into the starting line-up.

New signing Jeremy Doku could make his debut this weekend with Cole Palmer set to complete his move to Chelsea before the game.

Fulham will welcome back Calvin Bassey after he served his suspension in midweek.

He will compete with captain Tim Ream for a starting spot in defence with Issa Diop the likely centre-back partner.

Willian could make his return from injury after missing the opening two games of the season.

Man City vs Fulham: What has been said?

Man City defender Ruben Dias believes that their struggles against newly promoted Sheff United last time out prove how hard it is to win the Premier League.

He said: "For the team that wins the Premier League - it's a build-up of these small wins and small margins, we all know it.

"We've been here, we've done it. We all know how important it was [to win].

"It's never easy to play a Premier League game. We ended up having most control of the game but until we score the goals it never becomes easy - even when we scored the first the game is not finished and it's never certain.

"A very tough one but we're very happy we got through, scored the second and got the three points."

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Man City vs Fulham: Match facts

Fulham's Harrison Reed has three assists in his last seven Premier League appearances, having only assisted four goals in his first 81 games in the competition with Southampton and the Cottagers.

Erling Haaland hasn't scored in any of his last three home games for Man City, last going four home league appearances without scoring in January 2021 with Borussia Dortmund. This will be his 20th home Premier League appearance, already scoring more inside his first 20 home games than any other player (22 in 19 so far).

Fulham manager Marco Silva is yet to pick up a single point in eight Premier League meetings with Manchester City, losing with four different teams (Hull, Watford, Everton, Fulham). He has lost twice as many games against City as he has against any other team (four vs Arsenal, Leicester, Man Utd and Spurs).

Álvarez (12). Four of those have been for Erling Haaland, with the Norwegian setting up Álvarez three times - those seven chances created between Haaland and Álvarez are the most by a Premier League duo so far this season.

Fulham are winless in their last 30 Premier League matches against the two Manchester clubs (D5 L25) since a 3-0 win over Manchester United in 2009. This is the longest ever winless league run by a team against United and City in Football League history.

Manchester City had the first 23 shots at goal in their 2-1 win at Sheffield United, the longest consecutive run of efforts at goal by a team in a Premier League match since Newcastle vs Leicester in May (also 23) and the joint longest by an away team that Opta has on record since 2006-07, with City themselves having all 23 efforts against Bournemouth in March 2019.

Fulham have seen a player sent off in each of their last two Premier League games (Tim Ream vs Brentford, Calvin Bassey vs Arsenal), one more than in the entirety of last season. Despite having the joint most red cards this season (2), only Man City (23) have conceded fewer fouls than Fulham (24) among teams to play three games so far this season.

Manchester City are looking to win their opening four matches in a top-flight season for the eighth time and the first since 2016-17. They have only gone on to win the title on one of those previous seven occasions, however, doing so in 2011-12 under Roberto Mancini.

After winning back-to-back matches at the Etihad in April 2008/April 2009, Fulham are winless in their last 12 visits to Man City in all competitions (D2 L10). They've lost the last nine in a row by an aggregate score of 27-2.

Manchester City have won their last 14 meetings with Fulham in all competitions - among Premier League/Football League clubs in competitive English football history, only City themselves have had a longer winning run against an opponent (15 against Watford).