It’s not just Roberto Mancini’s pre-match words that are comforting City fans but also the points gained from the half dozen EPL outings so far this term.
The defending champions have harvested the same number exactly as they did from the corresponding contests on the way to making history in May.
This season’s first maximum haul on the road came at a place where the Blues dropped points for the first time in 2011-12 and although City left it late there was no doubt that they deserved the spoils.
Edin Dzeko was the hero smashing home the winner just four minutes from time after coming on as late substitute.
Earlier Sergio Aguero had snaffled up an equaliser as the Blues yet again surrendered the first goal on their travels.
Mind you they had good cause to be aggrieved at Fulham’s opener which came courtesy of a phantom penalty.
Mark Halsey’s award, which baffled everyone and no one more so than the perpetrator Pablo Zabaleta, changed the tone of the game
...Fulham 1 City 2...
The sport kick came in the ninth minute when John Arne Riise went down outside the box without being touched. Mladen Petric slammed home the award to put the home side in front.
For a spell City looked bewildered and never really got into their stride. That all changed in the closing ten minutes of the half following a spell of sustained pressure.
Mark Schwarzer saved well from David Silva and then again on the line in a goalmouth scramble; Aguero headed wide from a promising position and the Blues might have had a penalty when Riise pulled Tevez around the shoulder.
Fulham, though, could only hold out for so long and they conceded their first home goal of the season in the 43rd minute when Tevez’ shot was deflected goalwards by David Silva. Schwarzer made a fine, low one-handed save Aguero was lurking with intent and gleefully prodded home.
The second half belonged to the Blues in terms of territory but they had to wait until the dying minutes for super sub Edin Dzeko to come off the bench and notch the winner. It was the sixth time he has come on as a replacement and scored since the start of last season – a Premier League record.
And the strike brought much relief to the City camp after four games without a win in all competitions
...Fulham 1 City 2...
Roberto Mancini started Argentine stars Sergio Aguero and Carlos Tevez up front together for only the ninth time – the previous eight had all ended in victory and produced 24 goals and now it is nine.
There was no tinkering with the formation in west London with Gareth Barry and Javier Garcia guarding a recently maligned back four in which Matija Nastasic featured in place of England’s Joleon Lescott.
It worked! City extended their unbeaten run against Fulham to seven and kept the Blues in thick of the leading pack.
