The Etihad Stadium was buzzing on February 11, 2026, as Manchester City hosted Fulham for matchday 26 of the Premier League. With the title race heating up, City fans packed the stands, eager to see if Pep Guardiola’s men could keep the pressure on league leaders Arsenal. Boy, did the home side deliver—a 3-0 victory that not only extended City’s remarkable home run but also cemented their dominance over Fulham, who have now suffered a record-breaking 20 straight defeats against the Citizens in all competitions.
Coming into this clash, Manchester City sat second in the league with 50 points from 25 matches, trailing Arsenal by just three. Their record—15 wins, five draws, and five losses—spoke of a team with resilience and ambition. Fulham, meanwhile, found themselves in 12th place, holding 34 points after 25 games, their season a mix of highs and lows under Marco Silva’s stewardship.
Team news filtered in before kickoff, confirming that City would line up with Donnarumma in goal, a back four of Nunes, Dias, Guehi, and Ait-Nouri, a midfield trio of Rodri, O’Reilly, and Bernardo, and a forward line featuring Foden, Semenyo, and Haaland. Guardiola’s squad was missing a few key players: Jeremy Doku (calf), Josko Gvardiol (tibial fracture), Mateo Kovacic (ankle/heel), and Savinho (unspecified). Fulham’s lineup featured Leno between the sticks, defenders Tete, Andersen, Bassey, and Sessegnon, midfielders Iwobi and Berge, and an attacking quartet of Wilson, Smith Rowe, Chukwueze, and Jimenez. The Cottagers were without Sasa Lukic (thigh) and Tom Cairney (calf).
From the opening whistle, City looked intent on making a statement. The breakthrough came early, and it was Antoine Semenyo who set the tone. After a Fulham clearance went awry, the ball fell kindly to Semenyo, who poked home from close range for his fifth goal in just eight games since his January arrival. That’s some way to introduce yourself to a new club! According to BBC Sport, “The quickfire sequence of goals began when visiting midfielder Sander Berge miscued a clearing header into the path of Antoine Semenyo who poked home from close range for his fifth goal in eight games since signing for City in January.”
The Etihad crowd had barely settled from the celebration when City struck again. Semenyo, brimming with confidence, turned provider just six minutes later. He slid a perfectly weighted pass to the onrushing Nico O’Reilly, who finished deftly over the advancing Bernd Leno. City were flying, and Fulham’s defense was left chasing shadows. “The Ghanaian then turned provider just six minutes later, sliding a pass onto the run of Nico O’Reilly to double the lead with a deft finish over the advancing Bernd Leno,” reported BBC Sport.
Fulham did have a glimmer of hope when Harry Wilson found himself in space, but his low strike was expertly saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma. That missed opportunity would haunt the visitors, as City soon put the game to bed. Phil Foden, determined to make an impact after being left on the bench in the previous match, found Erling Haaland with a sharp pass. Haaland, who had gone a few games without a goal from open play, made no mistake—drilling a left-footed shot into the bottom corner for his 22nd league goal of the campaign and his eighth in as many appearances against Fulham. As BBC Sport put it, “City sealed the points before half-time as Phil Foden found the run of Erling Haaland, who drilled home an unerring finish low into the bottom corner.”
The first half ended with City cruising 3-0, and the second half was more about game management than chasing further glory. Guardiola took the opportunity to rest Haaland, bringing on Omar Marmoush, while Foden—who, despite his lively performance, has now gone 14 games without a goal—was replaced by Rayan Cherki. The City boss could afford to rotate, such was his side’s control over proceedings.
Fulham, for their part, never looked like mounting a comeback. Their backline struggled to cope with City’s relentless pressing, and their attack was repeatedly thwarted by Donnarumma’s safe hands or the disciplined City defense. The Cottagers made several changes, introducing fresh legs in the form of Harrison Reed, Kevin, Rodrigo Muniz, Oscar Bobb, and Josh King, but nothing seemed to click. Marco Silva, still seeking his first Premier League point against Manchester City after 14 attempts as a manager, could only watch as his side’s miserable record continued.
The match statistics told the story: City dominated possession, created the better chances, and looked every inch the title contenders. The victory extended their unbeaten home run to 12 games, with 47 points taken from a possible 54 at the Etihad—numbers that could prove crucial in the title race. “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,” according to BBC Sport.
For Fulham, this was their third consecutive defeat, leaving them mired in mid-table and searching for answers. Their losing streak against City is now the longest such run against another side in English football history—a stat no team wants on their record. BBC Sport highlighted, “Fulham’s own record against City is a thoroughly wretched one, now suffering 20 straight losses against them in all competitions – the longest losing run against another side in English football history.”
Looking ahead, both teams will shift focus to the FA Cup fourth round at the weekend. Manchester City will host local rivals Salford City, while Fulham travel to Championship side Stoke. The league race, though, remains firmly in City’s sights. With Arsenal only three points ahead and City’s form peaking at just the right moment, the title chase is set to go down to the wire.
As the final whistle blew, the City faithful could hardly have asked for more—a polished, energetic display, three points in the bag, and their team breathing down Arsenal’s neck. The Premier League title race is alive and kicking, and Manchester City, on this evidence, are in no mood to back down.