On the latest episode of BBC Radio Manchester's We're Not Really Here podcast, Mike Minay and Natalie Pike are joined by lightweight boxer and City fan Campbell Hatton.
The panel look back at the win over Bournemouth and a massive month ahead with City facing Manchester United and Liverpool.
Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter
Pep Guardiola has spoken to the media before Manchester City's FA Cup fifth-round trip to Luton Town.
Here are the main lines from his news conference:
Guardiola said Jack Grealish was 'good' even though the England man did not come off the bench at Bournemouth on Saturday.
Josko Gvardiol might be in contention after missing four games with an ankle problem: "He is training without much pain. He still hasn't trained with us but he's on the verge of coming back."
On the threat posed by Luton, who led City at Kenilworth Road earlier in the season before eventually losing 2-1: "They are so aggressive. It doesn't matter where you are in the league, if you have the courage to play and face the challenge without any fear (it is difficult). They have direct channels but at the same time the ability in the build-up with [Ross] Barkley and the patterns are so clear."
He acknowledges the season is entering its busiest point: " After this game, February is over so it will just be two and a half months until the end of the season. The decisive part of the season is here and we are going for it. Tomorrow is a good test to find how our rhythm is and our mental consistency to what we have in the next month."
On why he enjoys this period of the campaign: "It's better to play every game knowing if you lose it is 'bye bye'. Human beings have a tendency to relax and see how nice we were and the many good things we have done in the past. If you behave every single day in that mindset you are not in that position that you are right now. I adore my players because I know how difficult it is."
Asked about the exuberant celebrations of rivals in the title race, he implied he also experienced the same feelings: "Sometimes I do it too. We celebrated a lot for Brentford at home and away and at Newcastle when Oscar [Bobb] scored in the last minute."
He also emphasised how proud he was of his players for their durability at the top of the table: "I know how good our opponents are playing. Liverpool and Arsenal are scoring three, four or five goals a day so they are almost unstoppable but still we are there and we will see if we can improve to continue to win games."
Follow all of Monday's FA Cup news conferences
We asked you for your thoughts on Saturday's Premier League match between Manchester United and Fulham.
Here are some of your comments:
Man Utd fans
Sue: In all honesty, I am almost glad that we lost against Fulham. I know that's a strange thing to say, but I have heard so much about Manchester United having 'turned a corner' that a reality check came at the right time. Things need to change at United sharpish - the fans know it.
Ewan: Erik ten Hag always struggles to get a result when player availablity is an issue, even when United are at home. Truly top class coaches can get something from games even when there are injuries in the squad. This is Man Utd and the manager should be able to cope with these situations, which are not uncommon after all.
Adam: We'll get knocked out of the FA Cup by Nottingham Forest on Wednesday, then get a absolute hammering against Manchester City on Sunday and then it's back to square one. We can't blame Hojlund's injury for the performance today.
Adder: Very poor showing with a lack of energy, movement, desire and belief. Just so disappointing after such a good run, though I think recent results have flattered us. Injuries have hampered us again admittedly, but today was simply not good enough again.
Fulham fans
Will: What an absolutely incredible win, our first at the 'Theatre of Dreams' in over 20 years. Thought perhaps we had thrown it away at the end in classic Fulham style, but Alex Iwobi won it in the most dramatic fashion to complete a Nigerian double. Won’t forget this anytime soon, probably not ever.
Bob: What a win. Overall, we deserved the three points and it was a long time coming after a battling performance. We must though turn our chances into goals more often in matches. Well done to the lads and management of FFC. A big decision by Marco Silva to make all those changes and the main thing is they worked.
Olaf: One of the best performances of Fulham for many years.
Mike: I liked the way we took the game to United and should have been two up by half time. When Harrison Reed had to go off, we needed to reshape and looked to hold on. Was delighted when Iwobi hit the winner deep into 'Fergie Time'.
Manchester City remain on course for another FA Youth Cup final appearance but it took two late goals to get them past Tottenham to reach the last four.
Jacob Wright's stunning last-minute free-kick completed a memorable 2-1 comeback win after substitute Luca Fletcher had equalised with a close range effort six minutes from time.
City last won the Youth Cup in 2020, when they beat Chelsea over two legs.
They will face non-Premier League opposition in the semi-final, either Bristol City or Swindon, at some point before 6 April.
Tom Gayle
BBC Final Score reporter
Before the game, and given a week of such heavy PR from new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, I felt the fixture computer had been very kind to Manchester United and manager Erik ten Hag.
Fulham, who prior to Saturday, had registered just two league victories at Old Trafford in their club's entire history, and with the second worst away record in the division, played the dream game.
For Manchester United, the reality turned out to be an under-whelming performance met by a standout display from the visitors.
Ten Hag’s pre-match programme notes spoke of his excitement at what he and Ratcliffe can "achieve together". However, rather than starting a new dawn with a commanding victory to follow up talks of knocking rivals Manchester City and Liverpool off their perches, the defeat only brings further question marks as to how much of the club’s future will involve the Dutch manager.
Ratcliffe wasn’t present for the Fulham game but the TV director’s decision to repeatedly cut between images of a soggy looking Ten Hag on the touchline, to Sir David Brailsford watching on from the stands, illustrated how scrutiny from the hierarchy within the club has never been greater.
'Best in class' is a term consistently used by Ineos across all of their endeavours. Right here right now, with a team who has suffered the most defeats at this stage of a season since the 1989-90 campaign, it is becoming more difficult to argue that Ten Hag fits this criteria.
Scepticism was best demonstrated on Saturday evening when I sat amongst a group of journalists in the Old Trafford press conference room, awaiting the arrival of Ten Hag.
While it’s not unusual for a losing manager to take up to around an hour before dealing with their final media commitment of the day, which is speaking to the written press, by the time he did join us the wait had been suffice enough for one journalist to joke that he might not even show at all as he might have already been sacked.
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Getty ImagesThe Telegraph's Luke Edwards says talk around Manchester United will be on whether new minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe is looking for an "excuse" to part ways with manager Erik ten Hag.
United lost late on at home to Fulham on Saturday to bring a four-game winning run to an end and they remain sixth in the Premier League.
"We know this has been Manchester United under Ten Hag," Edwards told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast.
"You think they're going to get some positive momentum, that they've turned a corner but it turns out they're just going around in a circle.
"I think the big problem for Ten Hag is Sir Jim Ratcliffe has come in and made no secret of his ambitions, he's spoken about how they need to get into the Champions League for profit and sustainability rules.
"It's a really bad result for him after you'd just begun to feel like he'd got that little bit of positivity around the place - they'd been grinding our results, they were getting on a little winning streak.
"Then that happened, no disrespect to Fulham but it's a home game that if you want to get into the Champions league you have to win.
"The problem you've got now for Ten Hag, and I think he deserves far more time than that, but anytime he gets a negative result now that conversation will be had.
"Fans will be talking about it, the next few days will be dominated by 'does Sir Jim Ratcliffe really want Ten Hag?'
"He wasn't his appointment as manager, he's now got control of the football side of the business. The worry will be that he's looking for that excuse to bring in the manager he wants."
Image source, Getty ImagesThe Football Daily panel have been singing the praises of Manchester City's Phil Foden after another match-winning performance at Bournemouth.
"He's just a wonderful football player," said former Tottenham defender Stephen Kelly.
"His reading of the game, his understanding of it, his positional sense, touch, balance - it's very hard to find a flaw in the way he plays.
"He's reaching a level of consistency now for City that he's a player they depend upon.
"With the likes of (Ilkay) Gundogan, (Riyad) Mahrez gone, players that were big-game players in big moments, Foden has stepped up to that mark now.
"I think it's just how do you get that form for England? I look at it and think how can he not play in that midfield three?"
The Telegraph's Luke Edwards added: "He's become the player we thought he would become when he first broke into that City team and Pep Guardiola made flattering comparisons to players he'd had at Barcelona.
"The key is that consistency, he's still a relatively young man, has experience and he's just really stepped up into that senior role now.
"He has that adaptability where he can play out wide or centrally. As England manager, I don't think you can ignore Foden any longer, you have to make it work with him in the team."
We asked you for your thoughts on Saturday's Premier League match between Bournemouth and Manchester City
Here are some of your comments:
Bournemouth fans
Brian: Really brave performance by the Cherries against Man City. Deserved at least a point.
KC: SO impressed with this performance! We’re still without a win in 2024, but wow what a game. Milos Kerkez had an insane amount of chances while Enes Unal looked great already and the team played so in sync with each other. So pleased.
Clive: Great game, and you can really see the difference in this very special Bournemouth side. Forty points by the end of March is my expectation!
James: Very happy with the performance. Although they dominated us in the first half, we gave them a great fight in the second. I’m proud of the lads' performance.
Man City fans
David: City are supermen for going for a fourth straight title on the back of a Treble, but they are starting to look like it's a title too far. Rather than go for goals they are retaining possession to conserve energy knowing March is so important. They are not putting teams away and Erling Haaland is out of sorts.
Peter: Far tougher than I imagined it to be. Still a very disciplined performance and sometimes you just have to win ugly. Away from home, you will take three points and a clean sheet any time. 3 points and a clean sheet. Every game is a cup final from here on in. We will need our full squad fit.
SMLD: Yes it’s three points and a clean sheet but even if they were the better team, City seemed to be hanging on in the second half. Not clinical enough in front of goal - again.
Usama: This season just feels weird. I feel and I know a lot of fans will agree we haven't witnessed the best of City. We’ve been wasteful many a time and quite leaky at the back yet we’re a point off the top. We’ve won ugly on a lot of occasions, which as they say is the hallmark of champions. Great win for sure but the team can do so much better.
New Manchester United investor Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants a new pay structure introduced at the club, with the salaries of players being more dependent on success. (Mirror), external
Manchester United are set to target signing a striker, right-back and right-sided centre-back during a summer overhaul of the Old Trafford club's squad. (Telegraph - subscription required), external
France forward Anthony Martial is set to leave Manchester United at the end of the season as a free agent, after the club opted against triggering a one-year extension to the 28-year-old's contract. (Football Insider), external
Gary Lineker introduces highlights and analysis from Saturday's six Premier League matches.
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