Riyad Mahrez returns with a bang as Man City moment underlines high standards in FA Cup win

Mahrez slots straight back in

Manchester City's squad for Fulham was bolstered by the return of a prolific attacker.

The decision not to summon the club's new £14m striker, Julian Alvarez, from River Plate may appear confusing given he seemingly fits the player profile that the Blues lack. But Pep Guardiola's side have long thrown convention out of the window, and Riyad Mahrez stepped straight back into his role as the leading goalscorer.

Already ahead despite his brief absence at the African Cup of Nations, Mahrez moved up the assist charts by setting up Ilkay Gundogan for the opener before adding two goals in the second half to move onto 15 goals in all competitions - six clear of any teammate.

With Raheem Sterling and Liam Delap among the substitutes, and three other City players finding the net, it is easy to see why there is no desperate need for Alvarez at the moment.

City recover well

City's defending for the first goal was non-existent. Joao Cancelo was caught flat-footed as Harry Wilson raced away from him and then John Stones and Kyle Walker were nowhere near Fabio Carvalho as the Liverpool target had the freedom of the six-yard box to fire past Zack Steffen.

However, just like in the last game against Southampton there was very little to panic about after that.

Apart from one nervy moment shortly after the goal when Wilson had acres of space away from Cancelo but couldn't get the ball, and a long-range wobbler in the second half that Zack Steffen failed to hold, City tightened up.

This is what they have become better at in recent years, stabilising after conceding a goal rather than wilting and letting another one in. The days of conceding more than one goal are getting more and more rare.

De Bruyne