Having set a new PL record for goals conceded in a month during April, after shipping 23 times across seven games, negotiating the opening 15 minutes with a clean sheet intact was a small win in itself for a Leeds side still significantly threatened by relegation and facing a tough run-in.
They certainly couldn’t afford to rest easy with Erling Haaland sniffing about, and the league’s record-breaking top scorer was soon up to his usual tricks, ghosting in behind but finding himself denied by Leeds stopper Joel Robles, who was making his first PL start since 2017.
However, that only proved to be a temporary reprieve for Leeds on Sam Allardyce’s managerial bow with the Yorkshire side, and City soon reaped the rewards of their endeavours, when İlkay Gündoğan caressed home from the edge of the area.
Leeds clearly hadn’t learned their lesson from that opening goal either, as in almost identical circumstances, Riyad Mahrez laid the perfect ball on for Gündoğan, who took one touch to control before doubling City’s advantage with his second.
After breaking the PL record for most goals in a single season on Wednesday night, Haaland struggled in front of goal today, and this was highlighted no better than when the Norwegian powered a header against the bar of an unguarded goal from six yards.
It really was proving to be one of those days for Haaland, and he again hit the woodwork shortly after the hour mark, albeit in more difficult circumstances this time around.
Those misses gave Leeds some distant hope of a result, and after Gündoğan missed the chance to round the game off from the spot, Rodrigo halved the deficit against the run of play to set up a grandstand finish.
Only 58 seconds separated the penalty miss and Leeds’ goal, but despite the fact Allardyce’s men couldn’t find a leveller, this result should serve as a source of inspiration in their quest for survival.
As for City, Pep’s men know they have better performances in the proverbial locker, as their push to secure a third successive PL title continues.
Flashscore Man of the Match: İlkay Gündoğan (Manchester City)
