Manchester City, in their last few matches, have shown a mixed run of form, recording a draw, two wins, and two losses.

In their most recent match against Spurs, which ended in a stalemate, Ghanaian prodigy and Manchester City newcomer, Antoine Semenyo, expressed optimism about his side’s ability to secure every point they deserve as the competition approaches its decisive stage.

City started well, ending the first half with a 2–0 lead over Spurs; however, they lost dominance in the second half. Rayan Cherki and Semenyo put City in the lead with their strikes, but a second-half brace from Dominic Solanke inspired Spurs’ comeback, forcing the visitors to settle for a share of the spoils.

The draw leaves City second in the Premier League, six points behind leaders Arsenal. Despite the gap, Semenyo is confident the title race is far from over.

“We’ve got 14 games to go. We are six points behind, but it’s not the end. We have to keep going. Anything can happen. They might lose a couple of games, and we might win. The dynamic changes, and we have to see what happens. Everyone is visibly frustrated, and we go again,” he said.

He went on to praise his side’s form in the first half but admitted Spurs were better in the second half.

“First half, we played really well, keeping the ball and drawing them out. We did that really well and had a few chances. The mentality was to do the same things again. Second half, that didn’t happen, and they dominated. I couldn’t tell you why, if I’m honest. They started picking up momentum and had a couple of chances. Getting the crowd into it helped. They were behind them, and it definitely helps,” he continued.

Semenyo will look to maintain his form when City host Newcastle United in the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final before turning their attention to a challenging league trip to Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.

Meanwhile, as often happens, players transferred to new clubs take some time to adjust to the style of play or settle in. Semenyo has carved a new story for himself by setting a record at the Etihad.

Despite his impressive stint with Bournemouth, Man City activated his £65 million release clause from his former club, signing him on a half-decade contract. The investment has so far paid off with an impressive 3-in-3 start.

In his debut appearance, he notched a goal and provided an assist during Man City’s FA Cup clash with Exeter City on January 10. He scored again in his second appearance on January 21 in the Premier League clash against Newcastle United. His latest goal came on January 24 in a Premier League clash with Wolves in the 45+2 minute, making his mark at his new club.

After scoring his first Premier League goal for City in a 2–0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, he earned praise from former England striker Jermain Defoe, who described him as “unplayable”.

His goal cemented City’s lead against Wolves, as his side had already taken control of the match with Omar Marmoush’s early opener in the sixth minute. Semenyo showed excellent awareness, drifting into space inside the penalty area as City pressed for a second goal before the interval.

Speaking on Premier League Productions, Defoe described the 26-year-old’s performance as “unplayable” and highlighted his all-round contribution.

“We have seen him do that a lot of times, but to do that, it was special. He scores goals and assists as well. He is just unplayable. He is dynamic,” Defoe said.

Reacting to his display, Guardiola, following the Wolves game, praised the Ghanaian forward for his energy and productivity since joining the club.

“Absolutely. They are set-up players. Last season, it was young players [who we brought in] except Omar. Semenyo made an incredible impact at Bournemouth. Antoine came with incredible energy, and strikers are about numbers. Since he arrived, he has been unbelievable. [It was an] incredible goal,” Pep said.

Semenyo will be hoping to sustain his strong start in City colours when they face Galatasaray in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday.

Before his move to Man City, he had attracted the attention of several European clubs, including Manchester United, Liverpool, and Real Madrid. However, little to no news emerged about his move to Man City, and he eventually completed the switch.

Addressing these links during an interview with Sky Sports, which aired on October 30, Semenyo said he had seen the reports but denied the purported links, adding that he was enjoying his stay at Bournemouth.

“I don’t think about it too much,” he said. “I try to stay present as much as I can. You see the news all the time; I see it as well. I’m not oblivious, but I try to keep focused. I’m enjoying my football here. If I’m not scoring goals, all of that goes away. I try to stay present, do the best I can for the team, score goals, and whatever happens in the future happens.”

Semenyo explained that he was convinced to stay after being encouraged by the club’s vision and summer recruitment.

“When they all left in the summer, there was a lot of interest and back and forth with the club. But I knew in my head that the manager had something up his sleeve this year.

“How we finished off the season last year was so good, and we could continue, especially with the players we’ve brought in as well. I wasn’t too sure at the start, but we’ve kicked on like a house on fire. I’m glad I committed to staying here because I’m enjoying every moment,” he added.