TWO David Silva goals condemned Fulham to another fruitless trip to Manchester - and a first defeat of 2013.
The Whites – who have to trek back to the city next week to play Manchester United in the FA Cup – got off to the worst possible start at the Etihad Stadium, going a goal down after 100 seconds.
And a second strike from the Spaniard after 69 minutes sealed their fate - the hosts always comfortable.
Martin Jol's men quickly found themselves trailing to the champions when Ashkan Dejagah gave the ball away in the Man City half and Edin Dzeko took the ball on to fire at goal. Mark Schwarzer could only palm the ball into the path of Silva and the Spaniard tucked home.
Fulham rallied well from the setback and Steve Sidwell (pictured) went close to making it 1-1 when he got on the end of a cross from the right to head against the outside of a post, despite the attention of Pablo Zabaleta.
Dzeko curled a shot over the bar as the half ended, and caused trouble again in the second half with a header from a Silva corner – Schwarzer just managing to smother with Carlos Tevez hovering.
But City, without getting out of second gear, went two up when Silva was played in by Tevez' flick and dinked over Schwarzer and in off a post to make it 2-0.
Line-up: Schwarzr; Riether, Hangeland, Hughes, Richardson (Briggs 67); Duff, Karagounis, Sidwell, Dejagah (Petric 73); Ruiz, Berbatov. Subs not used: Etheridge, Senderos, Baird, Kacaniklic, Rodallega.
Attendance: 47,286
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