Manchester City intensified their Premier League title challenge with a commanding 3-0 victory over Fulham on Wednesday, reducing Arsenal’s lead at the summit to just three points.
Manager Pep Guardiola has been searching for answers to his team’s troubling second-half fade-outs that have proven costly in the championship race.
However, City wrapped up the contest before the interval, netting three times in a blistering 15-minute spell through Antoine Semenyo, Nico O’Reilly, and Erling Haaland to record their 20th straight victory against Fulham across all competitions.
Arsenal have the opportunity to restore their six-point cushion when they travel to face high-flying Brentford on Thursday.
Yet the Gunners have watched their advantage shrink from nine points to three in just four days, handing City renewed belief in their pursuit of preventing Arsenal’s first league championship in 22 years.
City needed to capitalize on the impetus gained from their dramatic late comeback to defeat Liverpool 2-1 at Anfield on Sunday—a rare triumph on Merseyside.
The January acquisitions of Semenyo and Marc Guehi have injected attacking potency and defensive solidity, breathing new life into City’s title ambitions.
Semenyo pounced for his fifth goal since arriving from Bournemouth after Sander Berge accidentally deflected Matheus Nunes’ cross toward his own net.
The Ghanaian forward then switched roles to set up O’Reilly, who expertly lobbed the ball over Bernd Leno following a swift counter-attack.
Haaland maintained his composure to convert from the penalty spot in Sunday’s historic first victory at Anfield before a crowd since 2003.
However, the Norwegian striker acknowledged the need for improvement after managing just one goal from open play in his previous 13 appearances.
Haaland ended that drought with his first non-penalty Premier League goal since December 20, rifling a shot into the bottom corner from distance in the 39th minute.
Guardiola subsequently afforded Haaland a well-earned break, withdrawing him at halftime for Omar Marmoush.
Fulham had nearly staged a remarkable comeback from 5-1 down in a thrilling 5-4 encounter when these teams last met in December.
City once again struggled to replicate their first-half dominance after the break, but on this occasion faced no repercussions as they threw down the challenge to Arsenal.
AFP
