Substitute Erling Haaland scored an injury-time winner from the penalty spot to give 10-man Manchester City victory over Fulham and send the defending champions top of the table.
The importance of his 95th-minute strike was underlined moments later when Haaland was embraced by his manager Pep Guardiola at the final whistle, and joined his team-mates on a lap of honour.
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What appeared as though it would be a frustrating and potentially costly afternoon in City’s pursuit of a third-successive title, instead ended with a memorable victory thanks to Haaland’s 18th league goal of his dazzling start to his career at Etihad Stadium.
All seemed to be going according to plan for Guardiola’s side early on, as they took the lead through Julian Alvarez’s powerful finish and pressed forward looking for more goals.
But the anticipated march to a seventh successive home win this season did not transpire. Instead the game took an unexpected turn just before the the half-hour mark when Joao Cancelo muscled Fulham forward Harry Wilson off the ball in the box.
Referee Darren England pointed to the spot and showed Cancelo the red card, to the disbelief of Guardiola and his players, before Andreas Pereira sent Ederson the wrong way from the spot.
That was Fulham’s first effort at goal and they rarely threatened afterwards either, even with the extra man, instead being content to sit deep and frustrate their hosts.
It initially appeared they would be successful, even when Haaland came off the bench in the second half after two games out injured.
