Manchester City 3-0 Fulham result - Semenyo, O'Reilly and Haaland goals see City reduce gap to Arsenal at top of Premier League table

Manchester City closed the gap to Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table to just three points thanks to a comfortable 3-0 win over Fulham on Wednesday.

A first-half barrage from City blew Fulham away at a rainy Etihad Stadium, with Antoine Semenyo, Nico O'Reilly and Erling Haaland all scoring in the opening 45 minutes.

There was a moment of controversy in the first half as Kenny Tete appeared to pull Semenyo's hair, but the video assistant referee deemed there was not sufficient evidence to punish the Fulham player.

The second half passed by without significant event and City were able close out a straight-forward victory which narrows the gap at the top of the Premier League.

Arsenal travel to face Brentford on Thursday knowing a win will re-establish their six-point advantage, with that match live on TNT Sports and discovery+.

With the end of the season fast approaching, it appears like we've got a proper title race on our hands for the first time in a few years.

With their turnaround against Liverpool on Sunday and this 3-0 victory, Manchester City appear to be building one of their typically dominant runs and it could be coming at just the right time.

And with Arsenal playing a day later than City, it ratchets the pressure up on the Gunners as the season heads into the final stretch.

"City have given us something to talk about. At 1-0 against Liverpool, it looked like the title was heading to North London, but it's all changed," TNT Sports pundit Karen Carney said. "It's no good getting the result at Anfield if they didn't deliver tonight, and they did in the first 45 minutes.

"Fulham then had to have a bit more of a go and the City substitutions meant they lost a bit of rhythm, but overall it was a solid performance. To get the clean sheet, with Guehi and Dias working together. With Stones also named on the bench, you feel City could be peaking at the right time, as so often Pep Guardiola teams have done."

One of the controversial moments from the game came in the first half when Fulham's Kenny Tete appeared to pull the hair of Manchester City's Antoine Semenyo.

Despite the video assistant referee stopping the game to have a look at the incident, they then decided there was inconclusive evidence to make a clear decision.

When asked after the game if his hair was pulled, Semenyo told TNT Sports: "Yeah, I felt it."

"I thought it was [Raul] Jimenez that did it but you tell me it was Tete," he said. "I felt it, I told the ref straight away, but he said there wasn't enough, so they just left it as that."

Semenyo has enjoyed a fast start to life since joining City from Bournemouth in January and added another goal tonight.

The Ghana forward is involved in a Premier League title race for the first time in his career and said afterwards how much he's relishing the opportunity to prove himself at the top of the table.

"It's new to me, but I'm enjoying it. There's a lot of pressure and a lot of demands, but I feel we've got the players to do it," Semenyo said. "There are 12 or 13 games to go, so we just need to keep going."

Wednesday's victory means Manchester City stay in touching distance of Arsenal as the Premier League title race rumbles on.

The second half wasn't the most exciting, but the damage was done in the opening 45 minutes with goals from Antoine Semenyo, Nico O'Reilly and Erling Haaland.

"From the get-go they were dominant and professional. It was a solid performance, and that's what they've lacked this season across 90 minutes," former City defender Joleon Lescott told TNT Sports. "Yes, Fulham had chances, but over the course of the game, they were comfortable and in control.

"I don't think either Arsenal or City are thinking of goal difference right now, they're just focusing on wins, and it won't be until you get down to the last five or six games where they may look at that. Right now, the momentum is with Man City. Psychologically, Arsenal have to do their job tomorrow."

That's three crucial three points wrapped up for Manchester City as they seek to keep the pressure up on Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table.

They reduce Arsenal's lead to just three points, with the Gunners playing on Thursday at Brentford.

"There were big celebrations on Sunday [after beating Liverpool], for different reasons," TNT Sports pundit Joe Hart said. "But City here were organised and clinical in the first half to get the job done. It was a good defensive display, and on they march."

Marc Guehi has been absolutely outstanding this evening.

Guehi, who joined from Crystal Palace in January, has constantly thwarted Fulham's attacks with last-ditch challenges and getting blocks in at the last moment.

In the last five minutes, he's stepped in to deny Fulham numerous times in City's box. So much so, that Joe Hart has just awarded him the player of the match award.

"I'm giving my man of the match to Marc Guehi," he said. "I think Antoine Semenyo has also had a top game, but Guehi has been really calm and composed. It's been another really good night's work for the £20m man."

Despite the comfortable lead, it's been a slightly slower second half from Manchester City.

TNT Sports pundit Joe Hart believes that there was more than just three points on the line for City this evening.

"It's disappointing they haven't taken the first half into the second," Hart said. "Of course, they're being economic with what's coming up. They're not fully firing yet. But you want to get into that rhythm, you want to send messages out to the rest of the Premier League. Of course, that first half will have done that."

With the raft of substitutions and the way this game has unfolded, it looks as if City will be closing Arsenal's lead atop the Premier League table to three points.

It's been a comfortable outing for Pep Guardiola's side, who have built on their impressive win over Liverpool on Sunday.

It's a first appearance back at Manchester City for Oscar Bobb who comes off the bench for Fulham.

The Norwegian receives a loud cheer from the City fans as he replaces Wilson, who looks less than pleased to be coming off.

Fulham are not staying down and this time it's Muniz who has an attempt.

It's from a tight angle and an easy save for Donnarumma.

Phil Foden has been booked for a challenge in which he stands on the heel of Calvin Bassey.

It looks a painful one but the video assistant referee deems no further action is needed.

"It's a bit cheeky, that. He's gone to clip his ankle, missed and ended up stamping down the back of his Achilles," TNT Sports pundit Joe Hart said.

Those slew of changes from both teams have allowed City to reset and it looks much more like the first half now.

The home side are once again in control of possession and building promising attacks, largely through Phil Foden.