Paul Merson believes one team could hurt Manchester City in the Premier League title run-in apart from Tottenham Hotspur.
Micah Richards has claimed Ange Postecoglou’s side could “give Man City problems” in one of their remaining league games before the end of the season.
However, it seems like the consensus is that apart from Tottenham, no team has a chance of stopping City from potentially winning the title.
However, if there is a league where such assumptions cannot be made, it is the Premier League.
For instance, when Pep Guardiola’s men lost to Wolves 2-1 at the Molineux Stadium, the result was unexpected.
Some might attribute Rodri’s absence as the primary reason why City lost on the day but the visitors were made to struggle by Gary O’Neil’s side, both offensively and defensively.
Paul Merson says one team apart from Tottenham “might hurt” Man City
At the Etihad Stadium, with the Spaniard expected to start, Manchester City will be fancied to win and rightfully so.
But football works in strange ways and ultimately, Wolves are a quality team.
Some might assume that Gary O’Neil and Co. will be on the beach in footballing terms and will have no onus to get a result.
However, that might be a naïve line of thinking.
Players and managers have far too much professional pride not to try to win a game of football.
Similarly, Fulham will also be determined to make a statement against Manchester City as Paul Merson expects them to be a team that could potentially trouble the Premier League champions in their title run-in.
“Fulham, nice team. Fulham, on their day, I think Fulham’s their game, I think Fulham’s the one. Fulham is a team that might hurt them, good footballing team, Willian, who can have a good game, the lad up front, I think they’re the team”, he said on Sky Sports.
“I think if you give them the chance today that they [Nottingham Forest] had, they could cause you problems.”
Manchester City will know how tough a test Fulham can pose
In the previous outing between both sides, Erling Haaland struck a hat-trick in a game that ended 5-1 in City’s favour.
But at home last season, it took a last-gasp penalty from City’s number nine for a 10-man City side to get over the line.
Away from home in the 2022/2023 campaign, the Sky Blues looked like they were holding on to their lead as the Cottagers were trying their best to get an equaliser in a game that also ended 2-1 for the visitors.
However, Paul Merson does have a point as in the two games before that clash, Manchester City narrowly beat Fulham 2-1.
Fulham tend to have a rocking atmosphere at Craven Cottage and even if Manchester City beat them, a tough game can be expected, as Paul Merson stated.