What Pep Guardiola did at full-time of Man City's win over Fulham after feisty finish

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is not often accused of making mistakes, but that charge could be levelled at him following Saturday’s 3-2 win over Fulham – rolling his eyes and breathing a sigh of relief at full-time told the whole story.

On the surface, starting Rico Lewis – City’s standout player this season – in a settled back four seemed like an entirely uncontroversial decision. Lewis has been instrumental in helping City cope without Rodri and Kevin De Bruyne, seamlessly transitioning between full-back and number 10 positions and providing support across the pitch.

His assist against Slovan Bratislava earlier in the week secured his place against Fulham, but it soon became clear that he wouldn’t have as much freedom to push forward with Adama Traore, City’s nemesis, ready to exploit any space left behind at full-back when Lewis ventured upfield.

Guardiola is well aware of the threat posed by Traore, yet he chose to stick with Lewis instead of opting for Kyle Walker, a player with the experience, speed and strength better equipped to neutralise Traore’s threat. However, the decision to start Lewis again – he has only missed one game this season – was a clear vote of confidence in the young player.

Despite Lewis showing promise in attack, he struggled to contain Traore in the first half.

Traore managed to break free from Lewis again, leading to Fulham’s opening goal, exposing the limitations of using a right-back as an additional attacker.

City were fortunate to end the first half on equal terms. Guardiola held a final team talk before half-time, with Lewis remaining on the pitch.

Within two minutes of the second half, City took the lead. Yet, Guardiola remained unsettled, frequently consulting with assistant Juanma Lillo on how to regain control of the game.

Ten minutes into the second half, Guardiola called Walker from his warm-ups for a detailed discussion, pointing out various areas on the pitch and giving precise instructions. Walker was brought on as a centre-back, theoretically providing Lewis with the support needed to advance, given his ability to match Traore’s speed.

However, Traore once again outran him, forcing another save from Ederson. Following another consultation with Lillo, Guardiola decided to bring on Jeremy Doku simultaneously with Walker, aiming to keep the ball as far away from Traore as possible.

John Stones was the next substitute, for Phil Foden, a clear indication of the need for control. Stones replaced Walker at centre-back, with Walker returning to his usual right-back position and Lewis taking up a midfield role.

This was Plan C to counter Traore, with Lewis still being the preferred choice despite an off-day. Predictably, Traore switched sides but remained a threat.

The match was ultimately won away from the Traore skirmish, with Lewis fittingly securing another assist for the season. His pass to Doku may not have been extraordinary, but Doku’s strike certainly was – a dipping, swerving shot that curled into the top corner.

Guardiola’s arms shot up in celebration before a feisty end of the match that saw both the City head coach and his goalkeeper booked for timewasting and complaining.

However, his facial expression told a different tale. A sigh of relief and an eye roll indicated that he knew City had been made to work hard for their three points, without any specific tactical plan proving successful.

Rodrigo Muniz’s late consolation goal only emphasised that City struggled to handle Fulham throughout the game. As the final whistle blew, Guardiola immediately approached Marco Silva to offer some kind words before standing still for a moment on the pitch side.

He then had a conversation with Traore, both parting on good terms, before returning to Bernardo Silva for a longer chat. He was one of the last to head to the dressing room.

Now, Guardiola will get a two-week break, which he likely needs after a gruelling 90-minute match.