Manchester City 7 Leeds United 0 - Rampant champions condemn Whites to record Premier League defeat - YEP 14/12/21
Leeds United fell to their heaviest ever Premier League defeat as champions Manchester City ran riot with a 7-0 romp in Tuesday night's clash at the Etihad.
By Lee Sobot
City created a host of chances in a completely dominant
first-half display and led 3-0 at the break through strikes from Phil Foden,
Jack Grealish and Kevin De Bruyne.
The onslaught continued after the break and Riyad Mahrez
bagged his and City's fourth before De Bruyne rifled home a rocket to bring up
the nap hand.
Despite a tremendous double save from Illan Meslier, John
Stones then made it 6-0 with 16 minutes left and Nathan Ake headed home City's
seventh just four minutes later.
The hosts squandered a glorious chance in the seventh minute
when Diego Llorente gave away possession and De Bruyne squared to Bernardo
Silva who side-footed home from close range.
But City went ahead the very next minute as Rodri stormed
through the middle of the park and Meslier's block fell to Foden who converted
from the edge of the box despite a Stuart Dallas attempt to clear off the line.
The hosts were rampant and Pep Guardiola's side doubled
their lead in the 13th minute.
After Junior Firpo was tackled by Rodri, De Bruyne's shot
was deflected wide and from the second phase of play from the corner, a Mahrez
cross was headed home by Grealish.
From a City free-kick, Aymeric Laporte walloped a volley
over the bar and Grealish then worked an opening on the edge of the box but saw
his shot blocked by Jamie Shackleton.
De Bruyne was the next to threaten when firing wide and
Firpo was then booked for pulling back Mahrez meaning the left back is now
suspended for Saturday's hosting of Arsenal after amassing five cautions.
The onslaught continued and a rising De Bruyne shot from the
edge of the box was saved by Meslier.
From a rate Whites attack, City's Oleksandr Zinchenko
escaped a handball on the edge of the area under pressure from Raphinha.
But City bagged a third in the 32nd minute when Rodri played
in De Bruyne who powered home a clinical finish past Mesllier.
Leeds then lost Jamie Shackleton to injury in the 37th
minute, Mateusz Klich brought on in his place as Dallas shifted to right back.
Moments later, City were inches away from bagging a fourth
as a Foden effort from the edge of the box trickled just wide.
United finally threatened on the stroke of half-time as
Firpo's header set off a Leeds break but Harrison and Dan James were unable to
find any breakthrough and the half ended with De Bruyne smashing another
dangerous shot just over.
Teenage forward Joe Gelhardt was brought on to replace James
during the interval and Leeds wasted a potential opening three minutes after
the restart as Dallas played in Harrison who failed to produce any end product
in the box.
Instead, City bagged a fourth goal one minute later as as a
low Mahrez attempt from the edge of the box took a big deflection off Firpo en
route to beating Meslier.
Firpo then somehow escaped a second booking despite pulling
back Grealish on the edge of the box and Meslier tipped the free-kick from Mahrez
over the bar.
The hosts almost added a sublime fifth in the 53rd minute as
a superb floated pass from Mahrez fed Ilkay Gundogan who prodded a volley just
the wrong side of the post.
Leeds then went close two minutes later as a fine curling
effort from Dallas clipped the post. Moments later, a Harrison shot was
deflected just wide.
The offside flag then denied City a fifth in the 61st minute
after Foden had tapped home a Grealish cross but seconds later De Bruyne fired
home an absolute rocket into the roof of the net.
A strong save from Meslier then denied Mahrez but even a
tremendous double stop from Meslier could not prevent City bagging a sixth in
the 74th minute as John Stones eventually converted with a powerful rising
finish from close range.
Even then there was more pain to follow, substitute Nathan
Ake making it 7-0 in the 78th minute when heading home from a corner.