Five-star Man City nearly collapse in wild 5-4 win against Fulham, as Haaland hit 100

Erling Haaland marked his 100th Premier League goal as Manchester City survived a dramatic Fulham fightback to win 5-4 in a chaotic encounter at Craven Cottage.

City led 5-1 shortly after half-time, but goals from Alex Iwobi and a late brace from substitute Samuel Chukwueze left the champions desperately hanging on.

In a match reported by ESPN, the result moves City to 28 points, two behind leaders Arsenal, who host Brentford on Wednesday — though defending of this kind hardly looks sustainable in a title race.

Haaland reached his century in just 111 matches, becoming by far the quickest player to hit the milestone.

The 24-year-old needed only 17 minutes to find the net, making him the 35th member of the Premier League’s 100 club. Alan Shearer was previously the fastest, accomplishing the feat in his 124th game in 1995.

Haaland had already struck a post when the breakthrough arrived: Phil Foden found Jérémy Doku, whose low cross was dummied by Tijjani Reijnders for Haaland to smash into the roof of the net.

City doubled their lead in the 38th minute, with Haaland turning provider. He held off Joachim Andersen and slid a through ball between Kenny Tete and Calvin Bassey, allowing Reijnders to lift his finish over Bernd Leno.

Foden added a third two minutes before the break, lashing home from the edge of the area after a punched clearance from Leno.

Emile Smith Rowe pulled one back in first-half stoppage time with a well-directed header from Harry Wilson’s cross.

But any hope of a Fulham comeback should have ended three minutes into the second half, when Haaland touched another Doku delivery into Foden’s path for a calm finish at the far post — Foden’s fourth goal in two matches.

City’s fifth arrived six minutes later, Doku’s shot deflecting off Sander Berge and looping over Leno.

Iwobi curled in a second for Fulham, and substitute Chukwueze then struck twice in six minutes to set up a frantic finale. His second goal flew past an increasingly rattled Gianluigi Donnarumma with 12 minutes left plus eight of stoppage time to play.

Fulham pushed for a stunning equaliser, and Josh King looked to have secured it late on, only for Josko Gvardiol to clear his effort off the line.

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