Samuel Chukwueze says Fulham’s late surge in their dramatic 5–4 loss to Manchester City shows the team’s character, insisting belief within the squad fuelled a near-comeback at Craven Cottage.
The Nigerian winger scored his first two Premier League goals after coming off the bench, almost helping Fulham rescue an unlikely point against the champions.
The match came only hours after Chukwueze, Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey were named in Nigeria’s provisional squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
City, chasing Arsenal at the top of the table, began strongly and nearly went ahead inside six minutes when Erling Haaland struck the post.
Phil Foden doubled the visitors’ lead with a tight-angle finish, and Jeremy Doku’s deflected strike made it 5–1, leaving many expecting a routine conclusion for Pep Guardiola’s side.
But Iwobi reignited the contest with a composed low finish before Fulham’s Nigerians took charge of the response.
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Chukwueze introduced himself with a fierce volley to make it 5–3, then pounced on a loose ball from a corner moments later to close the gap to a single goal. The turnaround electrified Craven Cottage, with home fans urging their team forward as City briefly faltered.
Fulham pressed for a late equaliser, and substitute Josh King forced a goal-line clearance in stoppage time, but City held firm to extend their long unbeaten record in this fixture.
Reflecting on the match, Chukwueze said the team’s determination underpinned the thrilling fightback.
“For me, I always believe. If we don’t believe, we won’t score. Everybody believed, the team, the coach and the fans.”
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He praised the side’s reaction after falling behind and the support from the stands.
“It was a crazy game today. We conceded goals we shouldn’t have conceded, but I liked the spirit of the team for the comeback. The fans were amazing, supportive from 5–1 to 5–4. We gave everything.”
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Chukwueze added that Fulham must now move forward positively.
“We have to lift our heads up and move on.”
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Earlier in the match, Haaland reached a personal milestone, guiding in a Doku cross for his 100th Premier League goal in just 111 appearances.
