Needing just a point to secure a UCL berth for next season, you’d have been forgiven for expecting a cautious start from City.
There was certainly nothing reserved about their start, but just as they were in their last away league game against Southampton, they were displaying a distinct lack of efficiency in the final third. However, the game’s first moment of quality yielded the opening goal after 20 minutes.
Matheus Nunes burst in off the right flank, and after Bernd Leno denied his initial dinked effort, Ilkay Gundogan was on hand to acrobatically volley home the rebound off the underside of the bar.
That gave City some much-needed breathing space in their top-five push, but they weren’t sitting too comfortably from the restart, when Fulham almost pegged them back.
The ball dropped favourably for Harry Wilson at the far post, but City were bailed out by the outstretched arm of Ederson.
City went into their shell a little after taking the lead, and were within a whisker of being pegged back before the break, when Tom Cairney – who was making his last appearance for Fulham – curled an effort inches wide of the post.
The game followed a much similar pattern after the break, and with the hosts still doing most of the attacking legwork, they created a glorious opportunity to level the scores – albeit in fortuitous circumstances.
Wilson’s cross was half-cleared perfectly into the path of Andreas Pereira, but his effort, which was heading wide anyway, was blocked by Manuel Akanji. Chances were coming thick and fast for the Cottagers, and Raul Jimenez spurned another great one when he beat the on-rushing Ederson to the ball, but the Mexican couldn't lift the ball over the Brazilian and into the unguarded net.
Marco Silva’s men were made to pay in cruel fashion too, as they soon found themselves two goals behind.
Sasa Lukic caught Gundogan in the area, and after controversially not stepping up from the spot in last weekend’s FA Cup final, Erling Haaland stepped forward from 12 yards to place the game beyond doubt.
Knowing their spot in the top five was assured, City took their foot off the gas and were able to introduce Kevin De Bruyne one last time before his impending departure.
With Champions League football secured for City, and Fulham amassing a club record for their most Premier League points in a season, both sides can perhaps look back at this season fondly.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Ilkay Gundogan (Manchester City)