Manchester City Cruise Past Fulham 3-0

Semenyo and O'Reilly shine as City keep pressure on Arsenal

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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Manchester City delivered a dominant first-half performance to beat Fulham 3-0 at the Etihad Stadium. Antoine Semenyo opened the scoring before assisting Nico O'Reilly's goal, and Erling Haaland added a third before being substituted at halftime. However, City struggled to maintain their intensity in the second half as the game drifted.

Why it matters

The victory keeps Manchester City within three points of Premier League leaders Arsenal, maintaining the pressure in the title race. Semenyo and O'Reilly's performances also highlighted the squad depth available to manager Pep Guardiola as he looks to guide City to another league championship.

The details

Manchester City were in complete control in the first half, with Semenyo opening the scoring by pouncing on a loose ball in the box. The winger then set up O'Reilly, who chipped the ball over the goalkeeper from a tight angle. Haaland added a third before the break, but was substituted at halftime after taking a knock. Without the star striker, City's attack lacked its first-half threat, and the game drifted in the second period despite the comfortable lead.

  • Manchester City built on the momentum from their dramatic win over Liverpool on February 5th.
  • The match was played on February 11th, 2026.

The players

Antoine Semenyo

A Manchester City winger who scored the opening goal and provided an assist in the match.

Nico O'Reilly

A 20-year-old Manchester City midfielder who scored the second goal and has been impressing in a more advanced role this season.

Erling Haaland

Manchester City's star striker, who scored the third goal before being substituted at halftime due to an injury.

Bernd Leno

The Fulham goalkeeper who was unable to prevent Manchester City's three goals.

Pep Guardiola

The Manchester City manager, who guided his team to a comfortable victory over Fulham.

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What they’re saying

“We must keep up the pressure on Arsenal. This was a good first-half performance, but we need to maintain that intensity for the full 90 minutes.”

— Pep Guardiola, Manchester City Manager (nytimes.com)

What’s next

Manchester City will face Salford City in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday, February 14th.

The takeaway

Despite a dominant first-half display, Manchester City's inability to maintain their intensity for the full match remains a concern as they continue their pursuit of the Premier League title. However, the performances of young players like Semenyo and O'Reilly provide encouragement for Pep Guardiola as he looks to keep his squad fresh and competitive.