The Tanner Report: Fulham 0 Manchester City 2

For this game Fulham had rested Calvin Bassey, Sandor Berge, Ryan Sessegnon, Adama Trioré, whilst City had no starting places for Rodri, de Bruyne, Anke, Foden or Ederson (who were on the bench) or for Jack Grealish who did not even travel.

Fulham could not afford the £100m paid for Grealish and then not play him.

They paid a third of that for Émile Smith Rowe, who did not start, and he is is a player with potential who underperformed.

The bench was the big difference and – even without established stars – City won comfortably.

What to make of Fulham’s season and next one?

If your glass is “half empty” you would point to disappointing home performances against Crystal Palace, Wolves, Everton, Ipswich and  Southampton and a squad (most of whom are over 27) but – if it’s half-full – you might refer to our wins at Chelsea and Manchester United; our secure mid-table position; the return and resurgence of Sessegnon; the goal scoring of Rodrigo Muniz; and the input of Bassey, Bernd Leno and Alex Iwobi.

Much will depend next season upon whom we buy and whether Marco Silva stays.

Watching the First Division – which I still regard as the rebranded Third Division – play-offs, it was not so long ago that Fulham were way behind Charlton and Leyton Orient (who contested the game) and we are ahead of them and QPR and Millwall, finishing above Crystal Palace, Manchester Utd and Spurs in the Premier.

We probably have said goodbye to Willian and Tom Cairney after 10 years service – and possibly also Kenny Teté.

Off the pitch, the new stand was finally finished but the seat prices there attracted hostility from both fans and the press.