
Photo: @ManCity/X
Antoine Semenyo continued his hot start to life at Manchester City on Wednesday in the English Premier League with a goal and an assist for the hosts as they overcame Fulham 3-0 at the Ettihad.
After being held at bay through the opening twenty minutes, it was the Ghanaian who put the Cityzens in front with an opportunisic finish when Fulham failed to clear a cross into the penalty area.
Six minutes later, it was 2-0 in favor of the hosts. Nico O’Reilly recovered a loose ball in the midfield and found Semenyo on the left wing. The former Bournemouth star’s return pass found O’Reilly who made no mistake with his finish past Fulham keeper Bernd Leno.
Efficiency was the driving force behind the Sky Blues’ latest victory. Before halftime, Phil Foden set up star striker Erling Haaland to finish off an excellent first half that all but clinched three points for the title contenders. They are now three points back of leaders Arsenal, who will be in action at Brentford on Thursday.
— Manchester City (@ManCity) February 11, 2026
Semenyo now has 3 goals in his first 5 Premier League matches for City, bringing his total to 5 goals and 2 assists from 8 matches since joining his new club in January. Next up is a FA Cup clash on Saturday at home against League Two side Salford.
Antoine Semenyo continued his blistering start to life at Manchester City on Wednesday evening, delivering a masterful performance with a goal and an assist to lead the hosts to a commanding 3-0 victory over Fulham at the Etihad Stadium.
The Ghanaian international, who joined the Cityzens in a high-profile January transfer from Bournemouth, has rapidly become a focal point of Pep Guardiola’s tactical setup. With this latest strike, Semenyo achieved a remarkable milestone, becoming the first player to score in his first two home Premier League appearances for City since the legendary Kevin De Bruyne in 2015.
For more updates on the title race, visit our Premier League Hub.
The match began with Manchester City asserting their signature dominance, though a disciplined Fulham side managed to hold the hosts at bay for the opening twenty minutes. However, the deadlock was broken in the 24th minute when a teasing cross from Matheus Nunes caused chaos in the Fulham penalty area.
When the visitors failed to clear their lines, Semenyo demonstrated his predatory instincts, pouncing on the loose ball to poke an opportunistic finish past Bernd Leno. The goal ignited the Etihad crowd and signaled the start of a ruthless seven-minute spell that effectively ended the contest.
Just six minutes after the opener, the scoreline read 2-0. Academy graduate Nico O’Reilly, who was later named Player of the Match for his all-action display, recovered a loose ball in midfield and surged forward. He found Semenyo out on the left wing, and the Ghanaian turned provider with a perfectly weighted return pass. O’Reilly held his nerve, finishing deftly over the advancing Leno to register his first senior league goal.
“The environment here is great; the coach and the team have made it easy for me to settle,” Semenyo told the club’s website post-match. “It’s all a fairytale right now.”
Efficiency was the driving force behind the Sky Blues’ victory. In the 39th minute, the game was put beyond any doubt. Phil Foden turned provider, threading a ball through for Erling Haaland. The Norwegian striker made no mistake, rifling home his 153rd career goal for City to draw level with club icon Colin Bell in the all-time scoring charts.
The three-goal cushion at halftime allowed Guardiola the luxury of managing his squad’s workload. Haaland, who picked up a minor “niggle,” was replaced at the break by Omar Marmoush, while key players like Bernardo Silva and Rodri were also rested during the second period.
This victory served as a significant statement of intent in the race for the Premier League title. The three points temporarily moved City within three points of leaders Arsenal, who subsequently stumbled on Thursday with a 1-1 draw against Brentford.
As it stands, the gap at the top has narrowed to just four points, with Manchester City holding a critical game in hand over the Gunners. With only 12 games remaining in the season and a head-to-head clash at the Etihad still to come, the momentum appears to have swung back in favor of the defending champions.
Semenyo stats since his January arrival are staggering: 5 goals and 2 assists in just 8 matches. He will look to maintain this red-hot form as City briefly turns their attention away from the league.
Next up is an FA Cup fourth-round clash on Saturday, February 14, as Manchester City hosts League Two side Salford City. Given the fixture congestion, Semenyo may feature prominently as City chases a historic domestic double.
While Semenyo has been a force in the Premier League, his next opportunity to shine comes in the FA Cup Fourth Round. Here is everything you need to know for Saturday’s fixture:
Date: Saturday, February 14, 2026 (Valentine’s Day)
Kick-off Time: 15:00 GMT (10:00 ET / 07:00 PT)
Venue: Etihad Stadium, Manchester
Referee: Matt Donohue
Historical Edge: This is the first time Salford City has reached the fourth round of the FA Cup. When these two sides met in the third round last season (January 2025), City secured a dominant 8-0 victory.
Squad Rotation: Pep Guardiola is expected to rotate his squad following the high-intensity win against Fulham. This could mean more minutes for youngsters like Nico O’Reilly or Ryan McAidoo (who also scored on his debut alongside Semenyo in the third round).
Injury News: While Semenyo is fit and firing, City is currently without Mateo Kovacic and Josko Gvardiol. Erling Haaland is being monitored after picking up a minor “niggle” against Fulham.