
Leeds United 0-4 Manchester City: Visitors stay above title rivals Liverpool after comfortable win
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Manchester City produced the perfect response to Premier League title rivals Liverpool by outclassing Leeds United to regain top spot.
City needed the win after Liverpool had overtaken them earlier in the day with victory at Newcastle and produced a highly impressive display in Elland Road’s hothouse that also prolonged the relegation worries for Jesse Marsch’s side.
The reigning Premier League champions went ahead in the 13th minute when Rodri glanced home Phil Foden’s free-kick and while Leeds were spirited, they barely tested visiting keeper Ederson until the game was lost.
City doubled their advantage nine minutes after the break from another set piece, Nathan Ake pouncing from close range when Foden’s corner was headed down by Ruben Dias.
Foden was City’s brilliant orchestrator and he was involved again when he set up the third for Gabriel Jesus with 12 minutes left, before Fernadinho added the fourth with virtually the last kick of the game.
The win means City are a point ahead of Liverpool, with four games left for both teams.
Man City survive cauldron in style
It is now a case of who blinks first in the title race and Liverpool put the pressure on Manchester City by going to in-form Newcastle United and winning in the lunchtime game.
For the late game, manager Pep Guardiola had to consider not only the challenges posed by the traditional fearsome atmosphere inside Elland Road and a Leeds United side desperate for the points, but also this coming Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final second leg against Real Madrid.
Guardiola left Kevin de Bruyne, Bernardo Silva and Riyad Mahrez on the bench to keep them fresh for the test of protecting a 4-3 lead in Spain.
The strategy worked as City came through in relative comfort in what was always going to be a tough physical examination.
City were helped by Leeds’ struggles to defend those set-pieces, with Rodri glancing home the first goal with ease early on and Ake being allowed too much time to turn in the second.
The pressure will be on every game for City now, with Liverpool also showing no signs of slipping up, but this was imperious from Guardiola’s men, who were simply too good for a Leeds side who showed lots of commitment but lacked quality and threat.
Foden was behind all of City’s best work, a spectacular talent, a creator who adds a tireless work-rate and strength to his many other qualities.
With their Premier League lead restored, City’s pursuit of glory now moves on to the Bernabeu.
More to follow.
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Leeds United
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Squad number1Player nameMeslier
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Squad number15Player nameDallas
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Squad number2Player nameAyling
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Squad number5Player nameKoch
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Squad number21Player nameStruijk
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Squad number3Player nameFirpo
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Squad number10Player nameRaphinha
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Squad number43Player nameKlich
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Squad number23Player namePhillips
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Squad number22Player nameHarrison
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Squad number19Player nameRodrigo
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Squad number20Player nameJames
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Squad number30Player nameGelhardt
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Squad number42Player nameGreenwood
Manchester City
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Squad number11Player nameZinchenko
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Squad number20Player nameBernardo Silva
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Squad number25Player nameFernandinho
Line-ups
Leeds
Formation 5-4-1
- 1Meslier
- 15DallasSubstituted forJamesat 45+7′minutes
- 2Ayling
- 5Koch
- 21Struijk
- 3FirpoBooked at 6minsSubstituted forGelhardtat 62′minutes
- 10Raphinha
- 43Klich
- 23Phillips
- 22Harrison
- 19RodrigoSubstituted forGreenwoodat 83′minutes
Substitutes
- 13Klaesson
- 14Llorente
- 20James
- 26Bate
- 30Gelhardt
- 35Cresswell
- 42Greenwood
- 46Shackleton
Man City
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 31Ederson
- 27CanceloBooked at 68mins
- 3Rúben Dias
- 14Laporte
- 6AkéSubstituted forZinchenkoat 60′minutes
- 16RodriSubstituted forFernandinhoat 83′minutes
- 8Gündogan
- 7Sterling
- 47FodenSubstituted forBernardo Silvaat 80′minutes
- 10GrealishBooked at 14mins
- 9Gabriel Jesus
Substitutes
- 11Zinchenko
- 13Steffen
- 17De Bruyne
- 20Bernardo Silva
- 25Fernandinho
- 26Mahrez
- 56Egan-Riley
- 79Mbete
- 87McAtee
- Referee:
- Paul Tierney
- Attendance:
- 35,771
Live Text
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Match ends, Leeds United 0, Manchester City 4.
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Second Half ends, Leeds United 0, Manchester City 4.
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Goal! Leeds United 0, Manchester City 4. Fernandinho (Manchester City) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom left corner.
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Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Kalvin Phillips (Leeds United).
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Attempt saved. Joe Gelhardt (Leeds United) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Mateusz Klich with a cross.
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Attempt missed. Ilkay Gündogan (Manchester City) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Gabriel Jesus.
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Attempt blocked. Joe Gelhardt (Leeds United) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
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Attempt blocked. Sam Greenwood (Leeds United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
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Attempt blocked. Daniel James (Leeds United) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is blocked. Assisted by Joe Gelhardt with a through ball.
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Offside, Manchester City. Aymeric Laporte tries a through ball, but Oleksandr Zinchenko is caught offside.
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Attempt saved. João Cancelo (Manchester City) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Bernardo Silva.
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Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Robin Koch (Leeds United).
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Substitution, Leeds United. Sam Greenwood replaces Rodrigo.
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Substitution, Manchester City. Fernandinho replaces Rodri.
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Foul by Mateusz Klich (Leeds United).
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Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Attempt blocked. Bernardo Silva (Manchester City) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Ilkay Gündogan.
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Foul by Aymeric Laporte (Manchester City).
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