Manchester City vs Leeds United. Premier League.
Etihad StadiumAttendance52,401.
Match report and free highlights as champions Manchester City move four points clear at Premier League summit; Kevin De Bruyne double and strikes from Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Riyad Mahrez, John Stones and Nathan Ake administer Leeds' worst-ever Premier League defeat
Wednesday 15 December 2021 06:25, UK
Manchester City issued a ruthless reminder of their title credentials as the champions demolished sorry Leeds United 7-0 to claim a seventh successive win and move four points clear at the top of the Premier League.
City were two up inside 13 minutes after Phil Foden's opener - the 500th Premier League goal of Pep Guardiola's City reign - found the net after Stuart Dallas' woeful goal-line clearance attempt, before Jack Grealish added a quickfire second with his maiden Premier League header.
Leeds' depleted defensive line and questionable tactics continued to be put to the sword as Kevin De Bruyne, on his first league start since November 6, sealed a masterful first-half display with an unerring third just after the half-hour.
The goals continued to flow in the second half as Riyad Mahrez's deflected fourth and a stunning thunderbolt from De Bruyne made it five, before late efforts from John Stones and Nathan Ake put the seal on a statement victory which shifts the pressure onto City's title rivals Chelsea and Liverpool, who both play on Thursday.
Leeds won on their last visit to the Etihad Stadium but the nature of this chastening defeat, irrespective of the defensive injury crisis currently engulfing the club, raises fresh concerns over Marcelo Bielsa, his players, and their ability to navigate this survival battle they find themselves in.
The tone was set in the opening minutes as Grealish powered through the Leeds defence to test Illan Meslier and, from then to the end, City were absolutely relentless.
City racked up the chances with remarkable frequency. Leeds had a let-off as the in-form Bernardo Silva put a gilt-edged chance wide but the reprieve lasted barely a minute as Foden opened the scoring with the next attack.
Rodri powered into the box and drew a smothering save from Meslier, which rebounded the ball back to Foden on the edge of area, and the England midfielder expertly guided it past the flailing Dallas and into the net.
That strike brought up City's impressive landmark under Guardiola but they were in no mood for stopping there. Another followed just five minutes later after a De Bruyne shot was deflected for a corner. Leeds half-cleared the Belgian's cross from the set-piece but Mahrez sent a curling ball back into the box and Grealish headed past Meslier.
Out of nothing, Leeds had a penalty appeal for handball against Oleksandr Zinchenko checked by VAR but nothing was given and the City procession resumed. De Bruyne, back to his best after a recent spell out with Covid-19, made no mistake as he raced onto a Rodri pass and lashed in a third on 32 minutes.
City needed just four second-half minutes to extend their lead as Mahrez's deflected shot deflected in off Junior Firpo, halting any hopes of a Leeds revival firmly in their tracks.
The visitors did threaten briefly when Dallas hit the post but substitute Ilkay Gundogan was inches away from adding another for City as he volleyed wide from Mahrez's floating cross before Foden saw a close-range fifth ruled out for offside.
But the fifth soon came, and in emphatic fashion, as De Bruyne unleashed a ferocious drive from outside the box that flew into the roof of the net and nearly lifted the Leeds goal out of the ground.
Stones made it 6-0 following a corner, tucking home at the second attempt after Meslier had saved an Aymeric Laporte header and Stones' initial effort on the rebound, before substitute Ake wrapped up the scoring with a powerful header from a corner 12 minutes from time.
Man City boss Pep Guardiola: "We lost five points last season playing Leeds. We tried to prepare well and maybe the players felt it was a more serious team than people think about.
"Our goals conceded is amazing. It proves you don't have to defend so deep, but this club is creative and the club buys players to be creative.
"We didn't score as many goals this season but today was a good run to be close to Liverpool and Chelsea."
Leeds head coach Marcelo Bielsa: "There is nothing positive to take away from our performance. I can't find anything that can be valued. As is natural in these cases, it is not the individuals that fail but the organisation.
"There is no justification I can offer; the game was exactly how we thought it was going to be. We prepared ourselves to avoid everything that happened, and we didn't manage to get anything."
Manchester City travel to face Newcastle on Super Sunday at 2.15pm - live on Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event. Leeds entertain Arsenal on Saturday Night Football at 5.30pm - live on Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event.
