Slick Antoine Semenyo helps title-chasing Manchester City to 3-0 win over Fulham
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Manchester City's Antoine Semenyo celebrates scoring their first goal with Nico O'Reilly, who went on to score their second with Semenyo's help. Erling Haaland scored City's third.
PHOTO: AFP
- Manchester City beat Fulham 3-0 on Feb 11, with Semenyo, O'Reilly, and Haaland scoring in the first half.
- The win moved Manchester City to 53 points, closing the gap to three points behind league leaders Arsenal.
- Antoine Semenyo scored and assisted, netting his fifth goal in eight games since joining City from Bournemouth in January.
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MANCHESTER, England - Antoine Semenyo scored one goal and laid on another as Manchester City swept to a comfortable 3-0 home win over Fulham on Feb 11 to close the gap on Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table to three points.
Second-placed City have 53 points from 26 games, but Arsenal (56 points) have a game in hand as they travel to Brentford on Feb 12. Fulham remain in 12th place with 34 points from 26 matches.
City netted all their goals in the first half as Semenyo profited from a defensive error to open his team’s account, before his assist allowed Nico O’Reilly to add his name to the scoresheet.
Erling Haaland added a third to extend his lead in the Golden Boot race with a 22nd goal of the season as City threatened to run riot before a tepid second half in which each side had just one shot on target.
It was vintage City in the opening period as they created chance after chance and were full value for their healthy lead, before retreating into their shell after the break, though they were never in danger of surrendering the advantage.
They took the lead in the 24th minute as Semenyo netted his fifth goal in eight games since joining the club from Bournemouth in January.
A cross from the right was inadvertently directed back towards his own goal by Fulham midfielder Sander Berge and Semenyo was able to poke the ball into the net from close range.
Manchester City's Antoine Semenyo scores their first goal, after benefiting from a defensive error by Fulham.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Harry Wilson tested City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma in the home goal in a rare Fulham attack following a quick break, but it was 2-0 a minute later.
A flowing City move saw Semenyo slip the ball behind the Fulham defence and O’Reilly lifted the ball over visiting goalkeeper Bernd Leno with a neat finish.
Nico O'Reilly scores Manchester City’s second goal.
PHOTO: REUTERS
City kept coming and it was 3-0 on 39 minutes as a clinical strike from Haaland completed an excellent half.
The striker picked up the ball on the edge of the box and drilled a shot low into the bottom right corner of the net.
Erling Haaland scoring Manchester City’s third goal.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Liverpool beat Sunderland 1-0
Elsewhere, Liverpool inflicted Sunderland’s first home defeat of the season to ease the pressure on Arne Slot and boost their chances of Champions League football next season.
Virgil van Dijk’s header from a Mohamed Salah corner early in the second half was enough to earn the English champions just their second league win of 2026.
Virgil van Dijk scores the winning goal for Liverpool.
PHOTO: AFP
Slot admitted before the game that his job would be at risk should Liverpool fail to qualify for the Champions League despite winning the title in his debut season.
A place in the top five is almost certain to be enough thanks to the strong performances of English sides in European competition this season.
The Reds remain in sixth, closing to within two points of fifth-placed Chelsea and three of Manchester United in fourth. REUTERS
