Semenyo ready to shine in spotlight

GRAHAM THOMAS

By

ANTOINE SEMENYO is determined to be the lead in Bristol City’s drama... and not get sidelined with a supporting role.

The Robins striker – a target for Chelsea two years ago before a knee injury – has admitted he has allowed himself to be pushed out to the margins.

Semenyo (above) has only scored once so far in a stop-start campaign but hours of self-analysis have convinced him not to stray from the centre ground.

The 21-year-old Ghanaian Londoner, who was sent out for loan spells at Newport County and Sunderland, said: “I looked at my clips and I was always drifting out wide.

“I’m not really going to affect defenders if I’m drifting out wide. Making the box is always going to cause defenders a problem – whether it’s me scoring or anyone else.

“So, I have been working relentlessly on my finishing, inside the box and outside.

“I am more of a running No.9. I like to get in behind, but I’ve tried to work more on my link-up play. I feel I can do both roles. I am learning every day from the players around me.”

Semenyo caught the eye at Newport as an 18-year-old when his pace and trickery dumped Leicester and then Middlesbrough out of the FA Cup.

He was linked with Chelsea and Manchester United but injuries and disruptions at Sunderland stalled his career, with just one League One start.

But a goal against Hull in December signalled Semenyo could yet prove critical to the Robins and under-pressure manager Nigel Pearson as he bids to end their recent slump.

“That Sunderland period was tough, with the Covid outbreak and I didn’t get to play as much as I wanted to,” added Semenyo.

“It was nice to get a goal again, because I had been injured. Hopefully, I can kick on now and get more.”

Semenyo is likely to be lent on more heavily as Bristol City have revealed eye-watering annual losses of £38million.

That will curb any hopes Pearson had of a little activity in the transfer window and he conceded: “It may constrain how we actually manage to rebuild the squad.

“We’ll do it in a way that’s in the best interests of everybody because the most important thing is we keep going as a football club and give our fans some hope.”

■ None of Aston Villa’s nine Premier League away games this season has finished level (W3 L6), with two of their three victories on the road coming in their three such games under Steven Gerrard. ■ Brentford have lost five home Premier League games this season; only fellow promoted clubs Norwich (7) and Watford (6) have suffered more defeats on home soil in the 2021-22 competition.

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