Arsenal vs Leeds LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction today after Nketiah double
Arsenal 2-1 Leeds: The Gunners moved four points clear of rivals Spurs in the race to finish in the Premier League’s top four
Arsenal’s five-season exile from the Champions League is closer to ending after Eddie Nketiah’s double secured a 2-1 win over Leeds to strengthen the team’s hold on fourth place in the Premier League on Sunday.
If it wins at Tottenham on Thursday, Arsenal will qualify for the Champions League with two games to spare after its fifth-place north London rival dropped points in a 1-1 draw at Liverpool on Saturday.
Arsenal moved four points ahead of Tottenham thanks to Nketiah’s two goals in the opening 10 minutes as Leeds dropped into the relegation zone.
The former Leeds loanee capitalized on a poor touch from Illan Meslier and tapped home. Nketiah’s second was a well-taken finish from 12 yards (meters), turning in Gabriel Martinelli’s low cross.
Leeds was reduced to 10 men in the 27th when captain Luke Ayling was sent off for a two-footed challenge on Martinelli. Referee Chris Kavanagh initially booked the defender before upgrading the card after being advised to watch a replay on the VAR pitch-side monitor.
Leeds gave itself a chance of a surprise comeback in the 66th when Diego Llorente turned in a shot at the back post but there was no equalizer from Jesse Marsch’s side.
There is a tight scrap to avoid joining Watford and Norwich in being relegated. Burnley is only above Leeds, and out of the drop zone, due to its superior goal difference with three games remaining, while Everton is a point from danger.
Goal! Rodri scores City’s third!
61’ Manchester City 3-0 Newcastle United
Manchester City have a third and it’s set-piece expert Rodri with his sixth of the season.
The Spaniard powers home a header inside the near post from a great Kevin de Bruyne delivery, and City’s lead is very comfortable indeed now.
After the pain of the midweek exit to Real Madrid, this has been the perfect response from Pep Guardiola’s men.
59’ Manchester City 2-0 Newcastle United
A little brighter from Newcastle as Burno Guimaraes leads a breakaway and finds Allan Saint-Maximin on the left-hand side. He moves from inside to outside to beat Joao Cancelo and make his way towards the penalty area but then drags a harmless shot wide of the near post.
Nothing much to shout about for the Magpies since the opening fifteen minutes but that at least was a passage of play in which they had some decent possession and were in and around the home side’s box.
City with total domination of the ball
53’ Manchester City 2-0 Newcastle United
Manchester City haven’t quite fashioned a clear-cut opportunity so far in the second-half but have managed a staggering 99 percent of possession in just under ten minutes of football.
Newcastle are heading crosses away well and defending in a decent shape but they simply cannot get hold of the ball.
Second-half underway with Fernandinho on for City
46’ Manchester City 2-0 Newcastle United
The second-half has just kicked off at the Etihad and Manchester City have made a change.
Club captain Fernandinho is on in place of Ruben Dias, who has been removed at half-time in what I can only presume has been injury-enforced.
With the gap to Liverpool at three points as things stand, City could look to protect themselves from a goal difference swing by trying to nab another couple in the second-half here.
Half-time! Manchester City comfortably leading Newcastle United
Half-time: Manchester City 2-0 Newcastle United
That’s the end of the first 45, then, and Manchester City are full value for their two goals lead over Newcastle United.
The visitors began the game respectably and dominate dpossession, before striker Chris Wood wasted golden opportunity to open the scoring by nodding a tame header directly into the gloves of Ederson from just outside the six-yard box.
After a quarter-of-an-hour City took control and Raheem Sterling headed in the opener after Joao Cancelo glanced Ilkay Gundogan’s gorgeous clipped ball into his path. Then Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka made a dreadful hash of trying to hold onto Gundogan’s shot and spilled it into the path of Ruben Dias and eventually Aymeric Lapotre, who slammed the ball home to double the lead.
City were a little slow to start but have demonstrated their sheer quality with increasing frequency as the half has gone, and Kevin de Bruyne in particular has been superb.
Almost a third for Manchester City
45’ - Manchester City 2-0 Newcastle United
Just before the half-time whistle and City almost increase their advantage.
Raheem Sterling and Jaoao Cancelo play a great combination down the right-hand side which releases the latter to play a wonderful cut-back across the face of goal, but Jack Grealish isn’t lively enough to it to arrive at the far post and instead the ball drifts out of play for a goal-kick.
Another really smart move.
De Bruyne goes on excellent mazy run
43’ - Manchester City 2-0 Newcastle United
Kevin de Bruyne launches forward as Manchester City counter following a Newcastle set-piece, and though it eventually comes to nothing, the Belgian’s exquisite movement really was something to behold.
He danced through three black-and-white shirts in midfield before sprayign a pinpoint ball out to the left to move his etam forward, before the attack began to fizzle out.
De Bruyne has been absolutely superb in this half.
GOAL! City double their lead
38’ - Manchester City 2-0 Newcastle United
Manchester City are now two goals to the good and they a howler from Martin Dubravka to thank for it.
The Slovakian can’t hold onto Ilkay Gundogan’s volley from outside the penalty area. After spilling it once into the path of Ruben Dias, he paws it away towards Aymeric Laporte who slams the ball in the net.
The home side probably home and dry now, before the half-time whistle.
City come close to a second
34’ - Manchester City 1-0 Newcastle United
It’s another lovely move from Manchester City and they’re so close to doubling their lead.
Kevin de Bruyne plays a pristine through ball to Oleksandr Zinchenko down the elft-hand side of the penalty area, and the Ukranian’s pass across the face of goal drifts agnolsingly in front of Gabriel jesus who can’t quite apply the finish.
City are playing really well now.
Gundogan flashes shot wide of goal
30’ - Manchester City 1-0 Newcastle United
It’s not often that a Manchester City player takes a pot shot from distance but Ilkay Gundogan tries one here and it almost pays off.
The German lines the ball up thirty yards out from goal and hits a powerful, arrowed effort towards the far post whcih has Martin Dubravka scramblign but ultimately flies a foot or so wide.
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