NOW CITY ON Leeds despatched as Pep’s
IT wasn’t quite like beating Real Madrid. But coming out on top against a team wearing all-white in a bear-pit of a stadium should stand Manchester City in good stead given what comes next. Pep Guardiola’s side will need to play better than this in the Bernabeu onwednesday night if they are to progress to another Champions League final.
Goals from Rodri, Nathan Ake, Gabriel Jesus and Fernandinho sent the reigning champions back above Liverpool to the top of the Premier League.
And if City win their final four games they will retain the title.
But the Blues will be counting the bruises after a huge physical effort from Jesse Marsch’s side.
Leeds are back in the relegation dogfight – five points above the drop zone but having played two games more than third-bottom Everton.
They hounded the men from Manchester even when the game was gone.
Yet despite some promising moments, their only efforts on target came in the final minutes when Dan James saw his attempt blocked on the line by Joao Cancelo and Joe Gelhardt’s shot was saved by Ederson.
City’s class at a febrile Elland Road told in the end.
When the champions demolished Leeds 7-0 in December, they were in the middle of a 12-game winning streak that put them out on their own at the top.
And Marcelo Bielsa was on the slippery slope leading to the job centre.
But Liverpool’s lunchtime victory at Newcastle had taken Jurgen Klopp’s side two points clear – and City had to respond.
Leeds’ need for points was just as desperate after Burnley’s victory at Watford had lifted the Clarets above them.
With the trip to Madrid looming, Guardiola opted to put Kevin De Bruyne, Riyad Mahrez, Bernardo
Silva and Oleksandr Zinchenko on the bench. Marsch had to reshuffle before a ball had been kicked after skipper Liam Cooper was injured in the warm-up and was replaced by Mateusz Klich.
By the end of the half, they were a goal behind and had lost Stuart Dallas to a knee injury sustained in a sickening collision with Jack Grealish just before the interval.
The way Dallas had hunted Grealish down throughout the first period illustrated Leeds’ approach.
It wasn’t always fair – the challenge that ended Dallas’ night was his fifth foul – but it was effective.
Dallas sent Raheem Sterling spiralling in the 13th minute – and the visitors exacted full retribution.
Phil Foden’s free-kick found Rodri drifting off the shoulder of Kalvin Phillips and his deftly glanced header found the bottom corner. Foden was involved in City’s first three goals before Guardiola took him off.
City stretched their lead in the
54th minute. Ruben Dias rose at the far post to head down Foden’s corner and Ake turned to shoot home from close range.
And the third goal in the 78th minute was a beauty. Foden eased a wonderful pass into the path of Jesus to beat Meslier.
Fernandino netted the fourth with a skidding 25-yarder in injury time – and with Liverpool’s goal difference advantage over City cut to just one, it was a good night for the champions.