Manchester City edged Fulham in a thrilling 5–4 showdown at Craven Cottage on Tuesday—a match that may end up as one of the Premier League’s most entertaining fixtures of the season. Pep Guardiola’s side ultimately held on, but not without late drama. Here are the three key takeaways from the nine-goal classic.

Erling Haaland opened the scoring and became the fastest player in Premier League history to reach 100 goals, achieving the landmark in just 111 appearances. Tijjani Reijnders and Phil Foden added two more to put City 3–0 up, though Emile Smith Rowe pulled one back for Fulham before the interval.

Barely moments into the second half, Foden struck again for his second of the night, and a Sander Berge own goal appeared to put City out of sight. Fulham, however, refused to roll over. Alex Iwobi reduced the deficit, and substitute Samuel Chukwueze produced two goals in six minutes to set up a tense finish. City survived the onslaught, but Fulham’s fightback ensured the game will be remembered for some time.

Phil Foden Is Back to His Best

After an inconsistent 18-month spell, Phil Foden delivered a statement performance that showcased the talent fans have been waiting to see return.

His first goal was expertly taken: after a scramble from a City corner, the loose ball fell to Foden at the edge of the box and he guided a composed finish past Bernd Leno. His second came with a hint of fortune—Haaland’s accidental touch redirected the ball into his path—but Foden’s clever movement to arrive unmarked was vintage him.

City have long needed someone to ease the goalscoring burden on Haaland, and Foden’s resurgence could be exactly that. If he maintains this level, even league leaders Arsenal may start to feel the pressure.

Emile Smith Rowe Deserves More Starts

Why Tuesday was only Emile Smith Rowe’s second Premier League start of the season is a question only Marco Silva can answer. The former Arsenal midfielder is arguably Fulham’s most inventive player, yet opportunities have been limited.

Against City, he finished as the most accurate passer among all outfield players who played at least 45 minutes, completing 95% of his passes—no small achievement against Guardiola’s possession-heavy side.

Despite few starts, Smith Rowe is already joint-second top scorer for Fulham with two goals, averaging 0.53 goals per 90 minutes. He also leads the squad in xG per 90 (0.40), proving he consistently gets into dangerous areas.

Fulham lack a reliable creative spark, and Smith Rowe could be the answer. He should be starting far more regularly.

Erling Haaland Might Already Be the Premier League’s Greatest Goalscorer

Scoring 100 goals in 111 Premier League appearances is simply astonishing. Alan Shearer hit the century mark in 124 games—a record once thought untouchable—but Haaland has shattered it with ease.

If the Norwegian stays at Manchester City for the full duration of his recently signed nine-year deal, breaking Shearer’s all-time record of 260 goals feels less like a possibility and more like an eventual certainty.

There may have been strikers who offered more all-around qualities—pressing, creativity, or defensive work—but in front of goal, Haaland is a phenomenon. He is, quite possibly, the most lethal goalscorer the Premier League has ever seen.