Mahrez Double as Man City Crush Fulham to Reach FA Cup Fifth Round

Manchester City's Riyad Mahrez struck twice to help them ease past Fulham 4-1 in the FA Cup fourth round. (Getty Images)
Manchester City's Riyad Mahrez struck twice to help them ease past Fulham 4-1 in the FA Cup fourth round. (Getty Images)
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Mahrez Double as Man City Crush Fulham to Reach FA Cup Fifth Round

Manchester City's Riyad Mahrez struck twice to help them ease past Fulham 4-1 in the FA Cup fourth round. (Getty Images)
Manchester City's Riyad Mahrez struck twice to help them ease past Fulham 4-1 in the FA Cup fourth round. (Getty Images)

Manchester City overcame an early wobble as Riyad Mahrez struck twice to help them ease past second-tier Fulham 4-1 in the FA Cup fourth round at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

A frenetic opening saw the Championship side grab a surprise lead through Fabio Carvalho in the fourth minute before Ilkay Gundogan leveled for the Premier League leaders, firing home from close range after being played in by Mahrez.

Fulham's early spark was completely extinguished 13 minutes in when center back John Stones rose highest to turn in a Kevin De Bruyne corner for his second goal of the season.

A full-strength City ran Fulham ragged after the break as they created chances at will and secured the win through a quickfire double from Mahrez, the first coming from the penalty spot in the 53rd minute after a foul on Jack Grealish.



Chelsea Defender Wesley Fofana Could Miss Rest of the Season with Hamstring Injury

FILE - Chelsea's Wesley Fofana looks on during the English Premier League soccer match between Leicester City and Chelsea at King Power stadium in Leicester, England, Saturday, March 11, 2023. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira, File)
FILE - Chelsea's Wesley Fofana looks on during the English Premier League soccer match between Leicester City and Chelsea at King Power stadium in Leicester, England, Saturday, March 11, 2023. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira, File)
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Chelsea Defender Wesley Fofana Could Miss Rest of the Season with Hamstring Injury

FILE - Chelsea's Wesley Fofana looks on during the English Premier League soccer match between Leicester City and Chelsea at King Power stadium in Leicester, England, Saturday, March 11, 2023. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira, File)
FILE - Chelsea's Wesley Fofana looks on during the English Premier League soccer match between Leicester City and Chelsea at King Power stadium in Leicester, England, Saturday, March 11, 2023. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira, File)

Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana's season could be over because of a hamstring injury, The Associated Press reported.
The 24-year-old Frenchman, who missed the entire 2023-24 campaign after ACL surgery, hasn't played since Dec. 1 when he was substituted out of the 3-0 win over Aston Villa.
Blues manager Enzo Maresca said Friday that Fofana's injury was worse than initially feared and that the center back will be out “for a very long time." There was no immediate plan for surgery.
“He could be out for the season,” Maresca said. “We don’t know exactly if for the entire season, but unfortunately he could be out for part of the season."
Fofana became one of the most expensive defenders in soccer history when he joined Chelsea in the summer of 2022 from Leicester for a fee of 75 million pounds ($93 million).
“For sure, for us Wes is a huge loss,” Maresca said.
Fofana made only 15 Premier League appearances in 2022-23.
“I don’t think this kind of injury can be compared to the rest," Maresca said. "This one is muscle and I think that previously he never had any muscle problems, so it’s a completely different kind of injury. It’s a bit unlucky, but he will be back and he will be back good in the way he was before he was injured.”
Chelsea is fourth in the Premier League standings, 10 points behind leader Liverpool. The Blues play at Crystal Palace on Saturday.