Fulham in freefall but City edge to safety

There were chants of 'Coleman Out' from angry fans after Manchester City's comfortable victory and there is an atmosphere of desperation at Craven Cottage.

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Fulham, who were hammered 4-1 at Everton on Good Friday, are losing momentum as the season enters the final straight and Coleman believes they need two more wins to be safe. The way they are playing that must seem a massive target to a team who have captured only three points from the last 21.

Coleman sympathised with the supporters who jeered him and said: "We're all devastated. They haven't seen us win here since Newcastle (February 3) and they are all frustrated."

And he warned that Fulham's next game at Reading on Saturday is unlikely to be a feast of football.

"We're in a relegation dogfight so we've got to fight like dogs. We've got to go to Reading with a team of fighters. I don't care if we're booed off as long as we get a result."

If it's doom and gloom for Fulham, City's win took them to the generally accepted safety total of 40 points, although manager Stuart Pearce was not too concerned with that milestone.

Pearce, until recently under immense pressure himself, set his team a new target when he said: "If I was one of the players I would ask if we can stay undefeated until the end of the season."

He was delighted with City's clinical finishing which produced goals from the inspirational Joey Barton, DaMarcus Beasley and Darius Vassell.

Emile Mpenza, who had scored two goals in the previous four games, turned provider on two occasions this time.

"Scoring has been our Achilles' heel this season," said the City manager. "We took our chances well, which we haven't always done."

While stressing that he meant no disrespect to boo-boys' victim Coleman, Pearce added: "Don't take this the wrong way but in football sympathy doesn't run well with me.

"I can't feel sorry for 'Cookie' even though he is a great lad. We're in a competitive industry. I was desperate to turn him over and he was desperate to beat me. I don't think they'll be relegated because of the spirit here.

"Everyone in the bottom half has gone through something similar this season. Things change so quickly. Arsenal were flavour of the month and then they went out of three competitions."

Fulham had started full of promise with Simon Davies driving a Wayne Routledge pass just wide and Alexey Smertin forcing a spectacular reaction save from Andreas Isaksson with a 25-yard drive.

But their nerves were there for all to see after the highly-impressive Barton gave City the lead in the 20th minute. Moritz Volz lost possession to Mpenza, who slipped the ball to Barton, the midfielder beating Antti Niemi with a low shot from the edge of the penalty area.

The omens were not good for Fulham as City had won all 10 previous games this season when they had opened the scoring.

Volz was again at fault 10 minutes before half-time when Beasley beat the full back to Barton's clever through ball. The American international, who has been on a season-long loan from Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven, scored with an angled drive.

On the hour, Liam Rosenior slipped as he tried to cut out Mpenza's pass to Vassell. With Rosenior on the ground, Vassell was able to run unchallenged into the penalty area before slotting the ball past Niemi.

When Carlos Bocanegra scored with a near-post header from Davies' 76th-minute corner from the right, Fulham's hopes of mission impossible were briefly raised.

But it was too little, too late and overall Fulham were so poor that they disproved the belief there are no easy games in the Premiership.

Coleman switched from 4-5-1 to 4- 4- 2, but strikers Brian McBride and Heidar Helguson were ineffective against a defence marshalled by captain Richard Dunne.

As City played with assurance, Nedum Onuoha saw a close-range header brilliantly saved by Niemi. But despite Barton's superb display of passing and energy, Pearce preferred to praise City's team ethic rather than single out individuals.

Apart from Bocanegra's goal, Isaksson was rarely troubled. Defeat, though, was still particularly hard on Michael Brown.

The Fulham captain never let his head drop, unlike some of his team-mates, and the manager will need much more of his workrate on Saturday at the Madejski Stadium.

Coleman admitted Fulham lacked penetration and simply ran out of ideas as their self-belief faltered. That is perhaps the most worrying thing of all for the manager. Now, more than ever in his four-year reign, he needs his players and staff to show some faith.

Cometh the hour...

cometh Joey Barton, whose allaction display inspired City to a win that should guarantee their survival.