Back from the dead
Merson is amazed by Cottagers comeback
Last updated: 26th April 2008
Merson: stunned
It was a Jonathan Ross - the last resort - because there was nothing else Hodgson could do, but fair play to them, they never stopped going.
Paul Merson
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Man City 2-3 Fulham
Soccer Saturday analysis
Paul Merson was blown away by Fulham's resilience as they came back from the dead to beat Manchester City.
Early goals from Stephen Ireland and Benjani had put City in the driving seat and left Roy Hodgson's side staring definite relegation in the face, but Diomansy Kamara and Danny Murphy turned things around with goals after the break and Kamara hit a dramatic late winner to hand Fulham the win.
Merson admits he has "never seen anything like it" as Fulham - now just three points from safety - prepare for next week's home game with Birmingham with a chance to launch a remarkable survival bid.
He told Soccer Saturday: "For a 15-20 minute spell in the second half they never looked like getting back into it and it looked like the game was going to fizzle out with Fulham losing 2-0 or 3-0.
"Joe Hart made a couple of good saves, but it wasn't there for Fulham and things weren't clicking.
"But then Kamara came on and it was just phenomenal - I've never seen anything like it.
"It was a Jonathan Ross - the last resort - because there was nothing else Hodgson could do, but fair play to them, they never stopped going.
Class
"What I liked about it was that they opened the game up - it could have easily ended up 6-0 to City if it had gone horribly wrong.
"But they battled on and the winning goal from Kamara was a different class, drilled into the top corner with his left foot.
"They've got a chance now, looking at their last two fixtures. If you were picking two teams to play, they wouldn't be far away - Birmingham at home and then Portsmouth the week before the FA Cup Final.
"This really could be the turning point when they look back on the season. Dead and buried at 2-0 down and coming back to win 3-2. Their confidence will be unbelievable next weekend.
"The hard work is next week because they have to win the game, otherwise this was a waste of time."
The result was a bad one for City manager Sven Goran Eriksson, particularly with club owner Thaksin Shinawatra sitting in the stands.
Shinawatra cast doubt over the manager's future last week and Merson says he won't have been impressed with the way City surrendered their chances of qualifying for the Uefa Cup.
"The owner wasn't happy," Merson continued.
"He was sitting there and he just couldn't believe it and neither could Eriksson when the third goal went in.
"You wouldn't have though that could happen, but if Man City had won that game and tomorrow's game between Everton and Aston Villa was a draw then they still had a massive chance of finishing fifth.
"It's a major blow for them."
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