Leeds vs Man City LIVE: Premier League result and final score as Erling Haaland hits a brace
The Premier League’s top goalscorer Erling Haaland starts as Manchester City look to close the gap on leaders Arsenal
Erling Haaland continued his incredible season in front of goal with a double to help Manchester City cruise to a 3-1 victory at Leeds United on Wednesday, ensuring the champions closed the gap to Premier League leaders Arsenal to five points.
The visitors had a hosts of chances in the first half, with Haaland twice denied by fine saves from home goalkeeper Illan Meslier, while England forward Jack Grealish blazed two efforts over from good positions.
It appeared City would go into the interval frustrated, before Spanish midfielder Rodri finally made one count in first half stoppage time, firing home after another Meslier save.
Back in the city of his birth, where his father was a player for Leeds, Norway international Haaland effectively put the game to bed early in the second half with a simple finish, before taking his league tally to 20 for the season in the 64th minute.
Pascal Struijk gave home supporters faint hope of a comeback as he headed home with 17 minutes left, but it was always going to be a consolation against City in this mood.
The victory helped second-placed City move back to within five points Arsenal at the top of the standings, while Leeds stay 15th, two points clear of the relegation zone.
Erling Haaland scores twice as Manchester City beat dogged Leeds
They were goals scored by a player born in Leeds, celebrated by a former Leeds footballer and, for most at Elland Road, they had a certain depressing inevitability. Of course Erling Haaland struck in his first match in the city of his birth, against the club his watching father, Alf Inge, played for.
Unsurprisingly, he found the net at the expense of Jesse Marsch, his manager at Red Bull Salzburg. As Haaland scores against everyone else, he was unlikely to make an exception for a club or a coach close to his heart. There was a late chant of “you’re Leeds and you know you are”. Sadly for the majority present, he was in Manchester City’s colours.
Haaland being Haaland, he did not settle for one: a brace took him to 26 goals in 20 games for City. Perhaps more remarkably, he has 20 already in the Premier League. It is more than Chelsea have mustered and, whatever silverware 2023 brings City, it seems certain to produce a Golden Boot for Haaland.
Erling Haaland scores twice as Manchester City beat dogged Leeds
Leeds United 1-3 Manchester City: Rodri broke the deadlock and Erling Haaland added two more before Pascal Struijk’s late reply for the hosts
FT Leeds 1-3 Man City
Ederson has won 150 of his 197 games in the Premier League, becoming the quickest player to reach 150 victories in the competition:
197 - Ederson
213 - Patrice Evra
215 - Kevin De Bruyne
216 - Fernandinho
217 - Petr Cech
FT Leeds 1-3 Man City
Erling Haaland has scored 25 goals in 20 appearances under Pep Guardiola; this is the quickest that any player has reached 25 goals under Guardiola with top-flight clubs beating the 28 games it took for Lionel Messi to do so with Barcelona.
FT Leeds 1-3 Man City
Erling Haaland has become the fastest player to score 20 goals in the Premier League, doing so in 14 appearances:
14 - Erling Haaland
21 - Kevin Phillips
23 - Andrew Cole
26 - Ruud van Nistelrooy
26 - Diego Costa
26 - Tony Yeboah
Full-time: Leeds 1-3 Man City
90+5 mins: Manchester City close out the game and move back up to second place in the Premier League table. They’re still five points behind Arsenal but have done what they needed to on the road this evening.
Erling Haaland also added another couple of goals to his ever impressive tally to help the champions collect all three points.
Leeds 1-3 Man City
90+2 mins: Cole Palmer is on in place of Riyad Mahrez. He’s looked bright so far making a couple of good runs into the right side of the box.
He pulls the ball back to Cancelo who has a shot blocked before Haaland’s rebounded effort is also defended well.
Leeds 1-3 Man City
90 mins: Gelhardt makes a run to the near post as Leeds send the ball into the box. He almost gets to it ahead of Akanji but the defender turns the ball behind for a corner.
Five minutes of added time to play.
Leeds 1-3 Man City
87 mins: Chance! Man City win a corner that De Bruyne swings over to Rodri in the middle of the box. He nods the ball down to Ake whose shot on the turn gets blocked.
The ball comes loose to Stones but he lifts his effort well over the crossbar.
Leeds 1-3 Man City
84 mins: Manchester City are closing in on victory as Leeds struggle to get possession of the ball. Sam Greenwood has a nibble at Kevin De Bruyne and takes out the City playmaker.
Greenwood goes in the book and City take a few more seconds out of the game.
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