Fulham vs Manchester City: Premier League preview, team news, stats & head-to-head

This fixture was only the third in Premier League history not to feature an English player in either starting XI after Portsmouth v Arsenal in December 2009 and Arsenal v Chelsea in January 2019.

City won the Community Shield in August but they failed to claim noteworthy silverware for the first time in eight years and a big summer for Guardiola awaits.

A major squad rebuild may be on the cards, with their talisman Kevin de Bruyne featuring in a City shirt for the final time for the last five minutes, while Jack Grealish’s future is in doubt after being left out of the matchday squad.

City’s task of making sure they returned to Europe’s elite club competition next season went to the final day, but they were in command for large parts of the game and did not look like slipping up.

Assessing the formbook between the sides beforehand, this result should never have been in doubt, and City duly beat Fulham for the 18th time in a row.

Midfielder Gundogan is now 34 and it remains to be seen whether he stays at the club, but his goal at Craven Cottage was stunning, leaping into the air before converting a brilliant acrobatic finish via the crossbar.

Gundogan had failed to convert any of his previous 26 shots in the top flight this season but came to the fore at the right time, netting just his third goal in all competitions.

City have lost 16 times this season, their most since 2008-09, but end the campaign with a 10-game unbeaten run and can now enjoy a little rest, before they return to action next month.

They travel to the United States for the expanded Club World Cup, getting their campaign under way against Moroccan side Wydad AC on 18 June in Philadelphia.