Three first half goals move Manchester City three points behind Arsenal

After the gut-wrenching drama of City's victory at Anfield, came the kind of routine victory for Pep Guardiola's side that should strike fear in the hearts of every Gunner.

Manchester City's Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring. Pic: Martin Rickett/PA Wire.

Manchester City 3 Fulham 0

On Sunday afternoon, it appeared that Arsenal's lead at the top of the Premier League would be nine points. Now the gap is down to three and the pressure is back on the Mikel Arteta's team to show they really have what it takes to be champions.

After the gut-wrenching drama of Manchester City's victory at Anfield, came the kind of routine victory for Pep Guardiola's side that should strike fear in the hearts of every Gunner.

This was City at their ruthless best, reducing Fulham's ambitions to no more than damage limitation inside an opening half that brought goals for Antoine Semenyo, Nico O'Reilly and, of course, Erling Haaland. They didn't have to get out of second gear - and didn't need to.

Guardiola will hope that the apparent knock that forced Haaland off at the break isn't serious. The striker made way for Omar Marmoush after scoring his 29th goal of the season - but first from open play in 10 games.

Losing the country's top goalscorer at this stage of the season might be a hardship too far even for a squad of City's depth following the arrivals of Semenyo and Marc Guehi last month and the return to fitness of a raft of stellar names.

Arsenal can take comfort from the fact that City always beat Fulham. The Blues' 17th successive Premier League win over the Cottagers is a competition record. When knock-out games are included it's now 20 victories on the bounce.

Now Arsenal travel to face Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium. Keith Andrews' capable team have their sights set on finishing in the top eight and if an uncomfortable night was already in prospect for the leaders, it has now become even more testing. Guardiola will be an interested observer.

The City manager made two changes to the team that started at Anfield, with Phil Foden and Ruben Dias coming in for Marmoush and Adbukodir Khusanov. Also on the bench were Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Cherki, John Stones and Nico Gonzalez.

City look like a team who have started to believe, rather than hope, that Arsenal can be overtaken. It has taken them a while to get into their stride, but a first league double over Liverpool in 70 years tends to have that kind of galvanising effect.

Foden's eighth-minute volley from the edge of the box was about to give Fulham keeper Bend Leno a problem until it struck Joachim Andersen on the back and flew behind.

Leno then saved well from Foden after the City midfielder had fooled Ryan Sessegnon with a change of direction only to hit a weak shot.

But City went ahead in the 24th minute thanks to Semenyo's fifth goal in eight games since arriving from Bournemouth for £62.5million last month.

When Matheus Nunes' cross from the right dipped over Haaland head, the unsighted Sander Berg could only divert the ball towards his own goal and there was Semenyo to score.

Harry Wilson gave City a fright when he combined with Emile Rowe Smith to test home keeper Gigi Donnarumma with a low shot just before the half-hour.

But moments later City doubled their lead with a goal of counter-attacking beauty.

Haaland fed O'Reilly before being took out by Andersen's late lunge. The youngster then sped forward from half-way before an exchange of passes with Semenyo gave him to chance to lift an accomplished finish over Leno.

It looked like game over six minutes before the break when Rayan Ait-Nouri dispossessed Berg and his pass was worked to Haaland by Foden. The Norwegian's left-foot shot flashed past Leno's left hand from 18 yards.

When Smith Rowe failed to get a touch on Raul Jimenez's cross to reduce the deficit just before the break, it would have prompted Guardiola to remind his players at the interval that they led 5-1 at Craven Cottage in December and still ended the game desperate for the final whistle.

Smith Rowe was off target on the restart and then it needed a timely Ait-Nouri tackle to halt Wilson as he shaped to shoot.

Until their late show on Merseyside, City have had problems this season maintaining their dominance of games in the second half.

Guardiola sent on Reijnders and Khusanov on the hour to add some energy to his team.

There would be no Fulham fightback this time, although substitute Joshi King did force Donnarumma into a smart injury-time save that preserved the Italian's clean sheet.

Manchester City (4-3-3): Donnarumma 7; Nunes 6 (Khusanov 60, 6), Dias 7, Guehi 7, Ait-Nouri 6; Silva 7 (Reijnders 60, 6); Rodri 6 (Gonzalez 71, 5), O'Reilly 7; Foden 6 (Cherki 71, 5), Haaland 6 (Marmoush 46), Semenyo 7.

Fulham (4-2-3-1): Leno 6; Tete 5, Andersen 6, Bassey 6, Sessegnon 6; Iwobi 6, Berge 6 (Reed 81); Wilson 6 (Bobb 72, 5), Smith Rowe 6 (King 60, 5), Chukwueze 5 (Kevin 60, 5); Jiminez 5 (Muniz 60, 5).

Referee: Paul Tierney.