London, Feb 12 (IANS) Manchester City kept the pressure on Arsenal at the top of the Premier League with a comfortable 3-0 home win over Fulham.
City were in impressive control from the off at a rain-soaked Etihad and were two up inside half an hour. First Semenyo was on target, claiming his fifth goal since joining City last month on 24 minutes.
O’Reilly then struck from Semenyo’s assist on the half hour to double the advantage before Haaland got in on the scoring act six minutes before the break.
The Norwegian struck to register his 153rd City career goal and so draw level with the great Colin Bell and go joint fourth in the all-time rankings.
Victory ensured City kept up momentum and maintained pressure on leaders Arsenal who play away at Brentford.
Aston Villa strengthened its hold on third place with a 1-0 win over Brighton after Tyrone Mings’ late effort was deflected in by defender Jack Hinshelwood.
Villa was below its best in a match notable for James Milner equaling Gareth Barry’s Premier League record of 653 appearances. The 40-year-old Brighton midfielder came off the bench against one of his former clubs.
Virgil van Dijk’s 61st-minute header gave Liverpool a 1-0 victory at Sunderland, ending the home side’s unbeaten league record at the Stadium of Light. The match was marred by what appeared to be a serious ankle injury to Liverpool’s Wataru Endo.
Nottingham Forest remain deep in the relegation battle after squandering several chances in a 0-0 draw at home to last-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers, while Burnley kept its slim survival hopes alive with a 3-2 win at Crystal Palace.
The Clarets trailed 2-0 midway through the first half after new signing Jorgen Strand Larsen had scored twice for Palace. But three goals in just over five minutes before the break turned the game around.
Hannibal Mejbri and Jaidon Anthony both netted before a Jefferson Lerma own goal completed the comeback.
The victory ended Burnley’s 17-match winless run, though the Clarets remain nine points behind 17th-placed Forest.
–IANS
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