Man City 3-0 Fulham: Semenyo, O’Reilly and Haaland score

Make no bones about it, City are well and truly in this title race.

Guardiola’s side had gone four games without victory at the start of the year, but have responded by winning three of the last four, with the 2-2 draw at Tottenham – having been 2-0 ahead – the only slight blemish.

Victory over Fulham reinforced Etihad Stadium as a fortress for City, extending their unbeaten home run to 12 games and now taking 47 points from a possible 54 – it is the type of run that could prove crucial in the chase for the top-flight crown.

Forward Semenyo has settled in seamlessly since his £62.5m move from the Cherries and he left his mark on the game by scoring and providing an assist to take his tally to 17 goal contributions in the league this season.

City were in such a commanding position at the break that Guardiola could afford to take Haaland off after the Norwegian scored his 22nd league goal of the campaign and his eighth in as many appearances against Fulham.

Englishman Foden, meanwhile, was left on the bench at Anfield and though he started this game and looked sprightly in most parts, he failed to get on the scoresheet after seeing a low shot batted away by goalkeeper Leno, and has now gone 14 games without a goal.

The result means City continued their remarkable run in midweek games as they are now without defeat in 56 such encounters – a record which goes back all the way to 2010.