What Pep Guardiola did at full time in Man City's win over Fulham after fiery finish

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola isn't often accused of making mistakes, but that accusation could be leveled at him after Saturday's 3-2 win over Fulham – roll your eyes and breathe a sigh of relief at full time tells the whole story.

On the surface, starting Rico Lewis – City's star player this season – in a group of four stable players seemed like a completely uncontested decision. Lewis was instrumental in helping City cope without Rodri and Kevin De Bruyne, transitioning seamlessly between the full-back and number ten positions and providing support all over the pitch.

His assist against Bratislava earlier in the week secured his place against Fulham, but it soon became clear he wouldn't have as much freedom moving forward with City's arch-enemy Adama Traore ready to exploit any space left at the back when Lewis ventured upfield.

Guardiola is well aware of the threat posed by Traore, but he chose to stick with Lewis instead of opting for Kyle Walker, a player with the experience, speed and strength better equipped to neutralize the threat of Traoré. However, the decision to start Lewis – he has missed just one game this season – was a clear vote of confidence in the young player.

Although Lewis showed promise in attack, he struggled to contain Traore in the first half. However, Ederson's strong performance kept the winger at bay.

Traore managed to break free from Lewis again, leading to Fulham's first goal, exposing the limitations of using a right-back as an extra attacker.

Manchester City were lucky to end the first half tied. Guardiola held a final team talk before half-time, with Lewis remaining on the pitch.

Two minutes into the second half, City took the lead. Yet Guardiola remained unstable, frequently consulting with his assistant Juanma Lillo on how to regain control of the match.

Ten minutes into the second half, Guardiola called Walker from his warm-up for a detailed discussion, pointing out various areas of the pitch and giving precise instructions. Walker was brought in as a central defender, theoretically providing Lewis with the support needed to move forward, given his ability to match Traore's speed.

However, Traore passed him again, forcing another save from Ederson. After another consultation with Lillo, Guardiola decided to bring on Jeremy Doku at the same time as Walker, with the aim of keeping the ball as far away from Traore as possible.

John Stones was Phil Foden's next replacement, a clear indication of the need for control. Stones replaced Walker at centre-back, with Walker returning to his usual right-back position and Lewis taking on a midfield role.

This was plan C to counter Traore, with Lewis still the preferred choice despite having a day off. As expected, Traoré switched sides but remained a threat.

The match was ultimately won away from Traore's skirmish, with Lewis deservedly securing another assist for the season. His pass to Doku may not have been extraordinary, but Doku's strike certainly was – a dipping, deflecting shot that curled into the top corner.

Guardiola's arms were raised in celebration.

However, his facial expression told a different story. A sigh of relief and a roll of the eyes indicated he knew City had been made to work hard to secure their three points, with no specific tactical plan proving effective.

Rodrigo Muniz's late consolation goal only highlighted that City were struggling to deal with Fulham throughout the match. At the final whistle, Guardiola immediately approached Marco Silva to offer him a few kind words before remaining motionless on the pitch for a moment.

He then had a chat with Traore, both parting on good terms, before returning to Silva for a longer chat. He was one of the last to head to the locker room.

Now he will get a two-week break, which he probably needs after a grueling 90-minute match.