Manchester City tightened the Premier League title race with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Leeds United at Elland Road on Saturday, moving to within two points of leaders Arsenal.
Antoine Semenyo struck in first-half stoppage time to seal the win for Pep Guardiola’s side, who climbed to 59 points from 28 matches. Arsenal, also on 28 games, host Chelsea on Sunday with the pressure mounting at the top of the table.
City were without leading scorer Erling Haaland, sidelined with what Guardiola described as a minor training injury. In his absence, Semenyo delivered the decisive moment, sliding in to convert Rayan Aït-Nouri’s low cross after a swift attacking move down the left.
“It means everything,” Semenyo told Sky Sports. “We just want to win all our games and whatever Arsenal do, we have to wait and see. We need to control what we can control.”
Leeds Threaten but Fail to Capitalise
Despite the result, Leeds United started brightly and carved out the better chances in the opening half. Dominic Calvert-Lewin squandered two promising opportunities, firing wide from close range and dragging another effort past the far post.
City gradually asserted control through possession, but they struggled to break down a disciplined Leeds defence until Semenyo’s breakthrough just before halftime.
Leeds resumed the second half with intensity. Calvert-Lewin nearly found an equaliser after latching onto Anton Stach’s pass, only for Matheus Nunes to intervene with a crucial clearance.
Marc Guéhi came close to doubling City’s advantage late on, but his header was superbly tipped away by goalkeeper Karl Darlow. Leeds pressed until the final whistle, with Jaka Bijol heading narrowly wide in stoppage time.
Guardiola: “A Massively Important Step”
Guardiola urged caution despite his side’s strong run of form — five wins from their last six league games and eight victories in nine across all competitions.
“One game at a time,” Guardiola said. “Now we start the real season with many, many games. People are tired. The Premier League is more competitive than ever.
“It is important that we qualify for the Champions League. We’ve taken a little gap from the teams below us. This step is massively important.”
City now sit 11 points clear of fourth-placed Manchester United and fifth-placed Liverpool, strengthening their grip on a top-four finish.
Farke Sent Off After Final Whistle
Tempers flared at full time when Leeds manager Daniel Farke was shown a red card after confronting the referee. Assistant manager Edmund Riemer suggested the incident stemmed from frustrations over time-wasting and officiating decisions during added time.
Leeds remain 15th in the table with 31 points, six clear of the relegation zone, but will rue missed chances that could have reshaped both their survival fight and the title race.
With the season entering a decisive stretch, City’s narrow victory ensures the pressure remains firmly on Arsenal — and the Premier League title battle is far from settled.
Discover more from
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.