The final day is here — and 5 clubs are fighting for 3 Champions League tickets.
Newcastle, Chelsea, Aston Villa, Manchester City, and Nottingham Forest are locked in a chaotic five-way race for the last 3 Champions League spots. Just 3 points separate 3rd from 7th. The line between UCL and a Thursday night in Bratislava is very thin.
For City, the path is clear: beat Fulham and you're in. Slip, and everything will be out of their hands. And to make matters more poetic, it’s Kevin De Bruyne’s final Premier League appearance in a Manchester City shirt.
He’s given them everything. Now, with the lights burning brightest and a decade’s legacy on the line, can he give them one last thing?
Newcastle, Chelsea, Aston Villa, Manchester City, and Nottingham Forest are locked in a chaotic five-way race for the last 3 Champions League spots. Just 3 points separate 3rd from 7th. The line between UCL and a Thursday night in Bratislava is very thin.
For City, the path is clear: beat Fulham and you're in. Slip, and everything will be out of their hands. And to make matters more poetic, it’s Kevin De Bruyne’s final Premier League appearance in a Manchester City shirt.
He’s given them everything. Now, with the lights burning brightest and a decade’s legacy on the line, can he give them one last thing?
♻️Fulham vs Manchester City Key Insights 📊
📊Head to head: Fulham (4 wins), Manchester City (24 wins), Draws (9)
📊 Premier League Streak: City have won 17 straight against Fulham — an English record.
📊 City’s Away Form: Unbeaten in 7 of their last 9 Premier League away games.
📊 Fulham’s Home Woes: Lost 3 of their last 5 at home in the league.
📊 Fulham’s Fightback Ability: 5 comeback wins this season — most in the league.
📈 Mind the Table, Mind the Moment 🧠
Tuning up for another trip to the capital 👊 pic.twitter.com/S7BNUgAZzp
— Manchester City (@ManCity) May 23, 2025
The math is simple. City sit 3rd on 68 points. Just 3 points separate them from 7th. One slip, and they could fall out of the Champions League places. One win, and they control their fate.
Fulham, 10th, have nothing to lose and chaos to give. They’ve beaten Brentford, pushed Chelsea, and fought to the wire with Villa. They're inconsistent, yes. But they're fearless at home, even when losing. They’ve scored in each of their last 3 home games, despite defeats.
And their striker? Raul Jimenez. 12 league goals. 9 of them gave Fulham the lead. He’ll test City’s defenders in ways Guardiola will not enjoy.
Fulham, 10th, have nothing to lose and chaos to give. They’ve beaten Brentford, pushed Chelsea, and fought to the wire with Villa. They're inconsistent, yes. But they're fearless at home, even when losing. They’ve scored in each of their last 3 home games, despite defeats.
And their striker? Raul Jimenez. 12 league goals. 9 of them gave Fulham the lead. He’ll test City’s defenders in ways Guardiola will not enjoy.
🤕Team News 💪
Fulham welcome back Tom Cairney and Harry Wilson, both pushing for starts after influential substitute appearances in the win over Brentford. Rodrigo Muniz, Harrison Reed, and Timothy Castagne remain sidelined through injury.
For Manchester City, Rodri is expected to start after returning midweek for his first appearance since September. Mateo Kovacic is suspended following a red card against Bournemouth, while John Stones is a fitness doubt and faces a late assessment.
For Manchester City, Rodri is expected to start after returning midweek for his first appearance since September. Mateo Kovacic is suspended following a red card against Bournemouth, while John Stones is a fitness doubt and faces a late assessment.
👤Predicted Lineups 👥
Fulham (4-2-3-1) ⚪️⚫️: Leno; Tete, Andersen, Bassey, Robinson; Lukic, Cairney; Adama, Wilson, Rowe; Jiménez
Manchester City (4-2-3-1) 🔵⚪️: Ederson; Nunes, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol; Rodri, Gündogan; Bernardo Silva, Marmoush, De Bruyne; Haaland
⚔️ What to Watch 🔥
🔹 KDB’s Farewell: Can Kevin De Bruyne seal his Manchester City legacy with one final masterclass?
🔹 Raúl Jimenez vs City’s Defense: The Mexican forward is built for the chaos City have struggled to control.
🔹 Marco Silva’s Substitutes: 17 goals from the bench. If Fulham go behind, the game might just be beginning.
It could be the end of an era at Manchester City — the last dance for Kevin De Bruyne, the heartbeat of a generation. But even as the curtain falls, there’s still a stage to command and a legacy to extend.
Champions League qualification is within reach. One more game, one more performance. And if this is De Bruyne’s farewell, he’ll want to leave with more than applause — he’ll want to leave with purpose.
🔹 Raúl Jimenez vs City’s Defense: The Mexican forward is built for the chaos City have struggled to control.
🔹 Marco Silva’s Substitutes: 17 goals from the bench. If Fulham go behind, the game might just be beginning.
It could be the end of an era at Manchester City — the last dance for Kevin De Bruyne, the heartbeat of a generation. But even as the curtain falls, there’s still a stage to command and a legacy to extend.
Champions League qualification is within reach. One more game, one more performance. And if this is De Bruyne’s farewell, he’ll want to leave with more than applause — he’ll want to leave with purpose.
