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Pep Guardiola’s side had run circles around Leeds with numerous excellent scoring chances before Gundogan struck in the 19th minute from the edge of the 18-yard box off a pass from Riyad Mahrez. Mahrez teed up Gundogan again eight minutes later in a carbon copy of his first goal.
Your @EASPORTSFIFA Man of the Match…@IlkayGuendogan 🎱✨
🔵 2-1 🟡 #ManCity pic.twitter.com/565ccMUJmQ
— Manchester City (@ManCity) May 6, 2023
“We played an exceptional game,” Guardiola told BBC. “Our possession game was really good. First half was exceptional. We were maybe not as clinical as we should be.
“The second half, we cannot forget it is three games in six days with a lot of mental pressure. At the end, the game could be over with the penalty. But they score and we have to suffer. But we played really, really good.”
Guardiola had wanted Haaland to take the penalty, yelling: “You take it!”
“The game is not over,” the Spaniard said. “It shows how nice and generous Erling is. If it is 4-0 with 10 minutes left, OK. But at 2-0? Erling is the best penalty taker right now so he has to take it.”
Rodrigo Moreno pulled one back for Leeds in the 85th minute.
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With four games left, City have 82 points to Arsenal’s 78, and if the Gunners lose to Newcastle on Sunday, City will be the overwhelming favourites to lock in a third consecutive title.
Leeds, playing their first game under interim manager Sam Allardyce who was parachuted in in a last-ditch effort to avoid relegation, are teetering in 17th place – and all three teams below them have a game in hand.
Allardyce admitted it looked bound to be a blowout at halftime, but Leeds “changed in terms of pushing up the pitch.”
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Despite numerous scoring chances, and with the Etihad Stadium crowd cheering him on, Haaland was unable to extend the Premier League single-season record of 35 goals he set earlier in the week.
🎙️ Sam Allardyce chats to the media following today’s result at the Etihad. pic.twitter.com/jwXZi4nyKJ
— Leeds United (@LUFC) May 6, 2023
The 22-year-old Norwegian, who is running roughshod over the record books in his debut Premier League season, could have had at least a couple of goals on Saturday, clanging one shot off the crossbar, another off the post, and narrowly missing a couple of others that left him shaking his head in frustration.
“Today Erling could have scored two or three goals. He played incredibly well, in his movement and everything… how he fought for us,” Guardiola said.
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Treble-chasing Manchester City, who play Real Madrid on Tuesday in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final, are unbeaten in 20 games through all competitions.
The odds were stacked against Leeds, who have been in freefall for weeks and have the leakiest defence in the top flight, with 69 goals conceded in 35 games.
Kane grabs winner as Tottenham edge Crystal Palace
Captain Harry Kane moved upto second place in the all-time Premier League goalscorers list as he helped ailing Tottenham Hotspur to a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace on Saturday, securing their first victory in five games.
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Kane headed Tottenham in front in first half injury-time to score his 209th Premier League goal, one more than Wayne Rooney but still some way behind record-holder Alan Shearer’s tally of 260.
Tottenham’s victory lifted them to sixth in the table with 57 points from 35 games. They are six points behind fourth-placed Manchester United who occupy the last of the Champions League qualification places having played two games more. Palace are in 12th with 40 points.
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Tottenham had conceded 15 goals in their previous four games, but there was no danger of that in a flat opening period from both sides that was lacking in clear-cut chances until it sprung to life in injury-time.
🎙 “Coming off the back of a really difficult week it was important to bounce back and show some desire and determination, we’ve done that today…”
Harry Kane speaks after today’s victory 🗣 pic.twitter.com/KfQuAlhnSq
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) May 6, 2023
Kane started the move that led to the winning goal as he sent the ball out wide to Pedro Porro in acres of space on the right wing and the Spaniard then sent a cross to the back post, leaving the striker to head the ball in.
Tottenham hit the crossbar before that from a Cristian Romero header and dominated the second half in terms of possession, as Son Heung-min wasted a superb chance to make it 2-0 but could not beat Sam Johnstone in a one-on-one with the goalkeeper.
Chelsea stop the rot with first win under Lampard
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Chelsea claimed their first win under interim manager Frank Lampard with a 3-1 victory at Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday to snap a nine-match winless run in all competitions.
Late goals from Benoit Badiashile and Joao Felix helped Chelsea move up to 11th with 42 points while Bournemouth slipped to 14th, three points behind the London side having played a game more.
Bournemouth had two opportunities to take the lead in the first five minutes but the Chelsea defence stood firm before midfielder Conor Gallagher scored with a well-timed header to give the visitors the lead.
Three goals and three points! 💪#BouChe pic.twitter.com/UNcAD7JWrr
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 6, 2023
But Chelsea were pegged back when Bournemouth played a delightful sequence of one-touch passes for Ryan Christie to set up Matias Vina, who curled his shot from the edge of the box past Kepa Arrizabalaga and into the top corner.
Late in the second half, Chelsea capitalised on Bournemouth’s weakness on set-pieces this season when Hakim Ziyech delivered the ball from a free kick to the far post where Badiashile beat Neto to score his first goal for the club.
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That gave Chelsea a lift and they quickly made it 3-1 to seal the three points when Raheem Sterling went on a driving run into the box before poking the ball to Felix who finished with ease.
