Fulham v Man City player ratings

Fulham were left feeling hard done by after a battling display against Manchester City. Here’s how we rated Rene Meulensteen’s men in their 4-2 defeat.

Maarten Stekelenburg: 7
Made a couple of fine stops, particularly from Edin Dzeko in the first half, and was unlucky to see his save from Martin Demichelis’s header run into the path of Vincent Kompany for City’s second goal. Will be disappointed though to be beaten at his near post by Jesus Navas for the goal which put City back in front.

Sascha Riether: 6
Struggled at times to cope with David Silva and the overlapping Aleksandar Kolarov, but became more influential as the game wore on, supporting Fulham’s attacks. He sent in a couple of superb crosses, one of which was inadvertently sliced into his own net by Kompany.

Philippe Senderos: 5
A brief afternoon to forget for the Swiss centre-back, who struggled to cope with Dzeko and gave the Bosnian too much space. The injury he picked up may not be unconnected – he was replaced by Amorebieta after 37 minutes.

Aaron Hughes: 7
Began well against Alvaro Negredo but the Spaniard became more of a handful once he began to drift around in front of Fulham’s back four. Hughes just failed to cut Negredo’s cross for City’s fourth, but by that time the effort had told on the 34-year-old’s legs.

John Arne Riise: 6
Involved in the oddest moment of the match, until Kompany’s own goal, when in the opening minutes he caught a crossfield pass that was just above his head. Had problems with City’s raids down his flank – he was outpaced for the third goal and slipped when out of position for the fourth.

Ashkan Dejagah: 6
Delivered a couple of telling crosses and produced some clever trickery on the right flank but his influence was minimal and he was replaced during the second half by Pajtim Kasami.

Scott Parker: 7
Another workmanlike display, putting his foot in among a crowded midfield and using the ball efficiently. He more than matched Yaya Toure – a man who stands a good seven inches taller than him.

Steve Sidwell: 6
Failed to match the standards he had set in the last home game against Aston Villa. Conceded too many fouls, including the free-kick from which Toure scored. Played the pass to Adel Taarabt for Fulham’s first goal but that was largely the Moroccan’s own work.

Giorgos Karagounis: 7
Had a good first half, breaking up play, intercepting loose passes and getting forward well, but he inevitably waned as the match wore on. Was sacrificed for Darren Bent whenMeulensteen went hunting for goals.

Kieran Richardson: 7
Got plenty of joy against Gael Clichy, who had a nightmare standing in at right-back for the injured Pablo Zabaleta and Micah Richards. Took his goal – his first in the Premier League since October 2012, really well. Taarabt laid it on a plate for him but, as Kompany later proved, it’s easy to slice horribly from that range.

Adel Taarabt: 8
An inspired choice to lead the line on his own – with no defensive duties required, the Moroccan was no longer a luxury but instead the focal point of most of Fulham’s attacks. Tried to do too much in the first half, and was guilty at times of shooting when other options were available, but he forced Joe Hart into two good stops. Came alight during Fulham’s excellent spell after the break, his dynamic run and inch-perfect cross creating the first goal.

Fernando Amorebieta: 6
Put in a decent shift after coming on for Senderos but was exposed by the quality of his compatriots late in the game, as Navas and Negredo ran the show.

Patjim Kasami: 6
Came on for Dejagah on 65 minutes but never really got into the game.

Manchester City
Unsettled by Fulham in the first 15-20 minutes of both halves, but once they awoke from their slumbers, they looked dangerous every time they came forward. Toure’s wonderful free-kick perked them up in the first half and it took the introduction of Navas and James Milner to inspire them after Fulham had worked their way back into the game. Undoubted quality in their squad but they will need to perform over the whole 90 minutes in games like these if they are to challenge for the title.

Man of the match
Taarabt – Dimitar who?

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