Manchester City beat Leeds United 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday and the victory should have been by a much larger margin.
Ilkay Gundogan struck twice in the first half to seal City’s 10th straight Premier League win but he hit the post with a penalty kick as he failed to seal his hat trick.
Moments later Rodrigo made it 2-1 as Pep Guardiola was furious Erling Haaland didn’t take the spot kick.
City held on for the win as Leeds will be happy enough with the narrow defeat but Sam Allardyce’s side barely had any chances in the final third aside from their goal.
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With the win Man City go four points clear atop the Premier League table as they have 82 points. Leeds remain on 30 points and in the relegation scrap.
Perfectionist Pep rages as Haaland has off day
Pep is never content. That was evident in the closing stages of this win, a 10th straight Premier League victory to take City four points clear atop the table. Why? With City 2-0 up and cruising they won a penalty kick. Instead of regular taker Erling Haaland stepping up to slot home the spot kick, Gundogan (on a hat trick) did and he hit the post. Guardiola was raging as he screamed to Haaland that he should have taken the penalty instead of giving his captain the chance for a treble. Moments later Leeds made it 2-1 after a mistake from Akanji. Cue Guardiola’s rage intensifying. He did not shake Gundogan’s hand as he was subbed off and looked very upset. Maybe Pep Guardiola was upset because this was all too easy for his side and they just took their foot off the gas in the second half.
Erling Haaland also had an off day, as just a few days after setting a new record for the most goals scored in a Premier League season, he hit the post, missed several big chances and gave up the chance to take a penalty kick. Maybe Haaland having an off day and City making a few mistakes came at the right time so Pep can keep them focused ahead of the final run-in as they chase an historic treble.
Pep Guardiola: ‘The guys played outstanding football’
“We played really, really good and if we had been more clinical up front would have been defined before,” Guardiola told our partners in the UK at Sky Sports. “But we will not forget, three games in six days and after the Arsenal game with a lot of tension emotionally and everything, the guys played outstanding football, especially in the first half. The second half was more controlled because there are a lot of games.”
Stars of the show; Manchester City vs Leeds player ratings
Ilkay Gundogan: Two lovely calm finishes for his goals and so classy on the ball. His penalty kick miss was poor but he should have let Haaland take it.
Riyad Mahrez: Set up both of Gundogan’s goal with very similar passes from the right. His ability to hold the ball opens up so much space for City’s other attackers.
What’s next?
Man City head to Real Madrid for the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semifinal on Tuesday. They then head to Everton on Sunday, May 14. Leeds host Newcastle on Saturday, May 13.
How to watch Manchester City vs Leeds live, stream link and start time
Kick off: 10am ET, Saturday
TV Channel: USA Network
Online: Stream via NBCSports.com
FULL TIME: Man City 2-1 Leeds – It should have been more comfortable for City but Leeds hung in there. Still, City are four points clear atop the table.
Pep Guardiola is still fuming. He wanted Erling Haaland to take the penalty kick.
GOALLL! Man City 2-1 Leeds – Wow. Moments after Gundogan hit the post with a penalty kick, Rodrigo scores for Leeds after a terrible mistake from Akanji. Game on with 5 minutes to go!
PENALTY MISS! Ilkay Gundogan hits the post with his penalty kick as he is denied a hat trick. He took it instead of Haaland as he was on a hat trick. Pep was not happy with that.
This is like a training game. Leeds basically playing to not concede more goals and damage their goal difference.
Leeds in damage limitation mode and Man City are just knocking the ball around and now really breaking a sweat.
POST! Erling Haaland hits the post after being played in. It is just not his day today!
We are underway in the second half and Leeds are really struggling to keep the ball. Man City are so comfortable.
HALF TIME: Manchester City 2-0 Leeds – Gundogan’s double has City cruising at the half and Leeds have barely had a kick. Big Sam won’t be happy with that display.
CLOSE! Phil Foden smashes an incredible volley just wide. What a goal that would have been!
Erling Haaland was clean through but got his effort all wrong as the ball flicked off his standing foot. He laughs. How often do you see that from him!?
SAVE! Ederson denies USMNT star Weston McKennie, as his header from a corner skipped up towards goal but was very central.
“Sacked in the morning!” is the chant from Man City fans to Sam Allardyce. Banter.
GOALLL! Manchester City 2-0 Leeds – Ilkay Gundogan again and Riyad Mahrez again with the assist. Very similar to the first goal. How can you give Gundogan that much space on the edge of the box?
MISS! Erling Haaland misses a glorious chance. I repeat, Erling Haaland misses a glorious chance. The ball falls to Haaland 12 yards out and he puts the ball wide.
GOALLL! Manchester City 1-0 Leeds – Ilkay Gundogan curls home a beauty after great work from Mahrez. That was coming.
SAVE! City are cranking through the gears now as Erling Haaland is clean through after a good ball from Rico Lewis but Joel Robles saves well.
CHANCE! First big opportunity of the game as Kevin de Bruyne picks out Julian Alvarez but he can’t keep his effort down.
Not a lot has happened so far. Leeds, as expected, sitting in deep and they are frustrating Man City.
The national anthem is played to mark the Coronation of King Charles III in the UK and we are underway at the Etihad! Welcome to a huge game for both Man City and Leeds.
Key storylines & in-form players to watch
City are firing on all cylinders and are grinding out the wins they need to surge to the top of the table. Pep Guardiola is rotating his side expertly and with a UEFA Champions League semifinal first leg against Real Madrid coming up next week, he may even rest a few key men for this game. Still, how can you leave out Erling Haaland? He rested a few for the midweek win against West Ham and City’s squad is so strong, and mostly injury free, that Guardiola has the luxury of being able to keep everyone as fresh as possible. Nobody wants to play City right now.
Allardyce has come in with plenty of confidence but he knows he has a tough task to keep Leeds up. Simply put they just have to stop conceding goals. Can this squad of players do that? For so many years they have been a cavalier, attack-minded team and Allardyce’s tactics may not work with this group of players. Even with Patrick Bamford back among the goals, Leeds will struggle to get anything out of their next two games and it seems like their survival hopes hinge on a trip to West Ham and a home game against Tottenham in the final two weeks of the season.
Manchester City team news, injuries, lineup
OUT: Benjamin Mendy (suspension – MORE)
🔵 TEAM NEWS 🔵
XI | Ederson, Lewis, Akanji, Laporte, Ake, Gundogan (C), De Bruyne, Mahrez, Alvarez, Foden, Haaland
SUBS | Ortega Moreno, Walker, Dias, Phillips, Stones, Grealish, Rodrigo, Bernardo, Gomez#ManCity | @HaysWorldwide pic.twitter.com/nf6H84u77U
— Manchester City (@ManCity) May 6, 2023
Leeds team news, injuries, lineup
OUT: Tyler Adams (hamstring – out for season), Luis Sinisterra (ankle – out for season), Stuart Dallas (thigh), Liam Cooper (muscle injury)
📋 Your #LUFC Starting XI… pic.twitter.com/FfdlkmPkoL
— Leeds United (@LUFC) May 6, 2023
