Shaun Goater scored a hat-trick to send Manchester City back to second place in Division One as Fulham were torn apart after being reduced to 10 men. Chris Coleman was sent off in the 68th minute and City took full advantage, grabbing three goals in a devastating 11-minute spell.
It was another savage blow for Fulham to absorb in a matter of days, having lost out in the League Cup quarter-finals against Leicester in a penalty shoot-out. Now their hopes of gate-crashing the promotion race have been savaged by a determined City, who were flattered by the score-line.
Joe Royle's team needed this victory to re-establish their promotion credentials after losing top spot in midweek. They had led the table for all but 12 days in the previous 11 weeks before Charlton took over. Goater, who has now scored 18 goals this season, was in fine form and punished Fulham.
It was tight, tense, full of errors and there were few chances. Fulham, playing five at the back, were content to hit on the break. But what chances there were fell to City. After 39 minutes City broke the deadlock. Robert Taylor's long cross-field ball was reached first by Richard Edghill, and his cross was side-footed home by Goater from 12 yards.
After 77 minutes, with City 1-0 ahead, inform City scored again.
A Kevin Horlock free-kick soared into the box, Danny Granville's challenge caused confusion and there was Goater to flick the ball over his head and into the net.
It was all City now and Goater completed his hat-trick after 85 minutes when he nodded home after Taylor had saved a Richard Jobson header with his foot.
Three minutes later Bishop's ball put substitute Danny Tiatto clear, and when he was pulled down by Steve Finnan, Horlock stepped up to lash home the penalty.
Man City: Weaver, Edghill, Wiekens, Jobson, Granville, Grant, Bishop, Horlock, Kennedy (Tiatto 75), Taylor, Goater. Subs Not Used: Crooks, Dickov, Pollock, Wright. Booked: Kennedy. Goals: Goater 29, 77, 85, Horlock 87 pen.
Fulham: Taylor, Finnan, Symons (Riedle 63), Melville, Coleman, Brevett (Trollope 31), Collins, Ball, Clark, Horsfield, Peschisolido. Subs Not Used: Hahnemann, Morgan, Hayward. Sent Off: Coleman (68). Booked: Horsfield, Riedle, Finnan.
Referee: P Danson (Leicester).
