midfielder Raheem Sterling (C) appeals for a foul by Leeds United’s
English defender Leif Davis during the English Premier League
football match between Leeds United and Manchester City at Elland
Road in Leeds, northern England on October 3, 2020.Paul ELLIS /
POOL / AFP
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Manchester City’s Premier League title challenge
stumbled for the second time in their opening three games as Leeds
rallied to earn a 1-1 draw from a wide-open game at Elland
Road.
City were soundly beaten 5-2 at home by Leicester last weekend
and seemed keen to make amends with a dominant start during which
Raheem Sterling opened the scoring.
However, despite handing a debut to £62 million centre-back
Ruben Dias, Pep Guardiola’s men remained unsure in defence and
Leeds levelled when Rodrigo pounced on an error from goalkeeper
Ederson just before the hour mark.
City could now find themselves eight points behind Liverpool by
the end of the weekend should Jurgen Klopp’s men maintain their
perfect start at Aston Villa on Sunday.
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Crush Palace
A first meeting between Pep Guardiola and Marcelo Bielsa in
English football was highly-anticipated and did not disappoint in a
pulsating game that somehow ended with only two goals.
Guardiola’s men started with intent to quieten their critics as
they pounced on Bielsa’s determination for his side to play out
from the back by forcing the hosts into mistakes with an intense
press.
Despite City’s continued failure to progress beyond the
Champions League quarter-finals under Guardiola, Kevin De Bruyne
was named UEFA midfielder of the year on Thursday and the Belgian
nearly showed why inside three minutes with a stunning effort from
a long range free-kick wide on the left that nearly caught out
Illan Meslier by hitting his near post.
Ferran Torres had a shot blocked on the line as City cut Leeds
open in the opening quarter, but Bielsa’s men could have gone in
front when Ezgjan Alioski headed over a great chance.
City’s pressure was finally rewarded in the opener as Sterling
cut inside before burying a low shot into the far corner on 17
minutes.
However, Leeds composed themselves as the first-half wore on and
City’s energy levels dipped.
Luke Ayling should have equalised before half-time when he
pounced on Benjamin Mendy’s poor clearance, but failed to beat
Ederson one-on-one.
Leeds started the second-half as they ended the first, by posing
the bigger threat, especially once Bielsa introduced Rodrigo 10
minutes after the break.
The Spanish international gave City a warning shot when his
deflected effort came back off the crossbar.
But from the resulting corner, Leeds record signing levelled
when Ederson dropped the ball invitingly at his feet.
A wild game then raged from one end to the other with neither
side settling for a point.
Ederson made amends for his error at the equaliser by turning
Rodrigo’s header onto the bar.
Moments later, Sterling was racing clear in behind the Leeds
defence but ran the ball too close to Meslier, who smothered at the
England international’s feet.
City then became the first victims of a change in interpretation
to the handball law in the Premier League as a Leeds arm blocked
Bernardo Silva’s shot that would surely have resulted in a
spot-kick just a week earlier.
Sterling also had strong claims for a penalty turned down
moments later as Leeds clung on to continue their fine start to
life back in the top-flight.
Bielsa’s men have taken seven points from their opening four
games, including clashes with Liverpool and City.
AFP
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