Manchester City-Leeds is a match valid for the thirty-fifth day of the Premier League and is played on Saturday at 4 pm: TV, lineups, predictions.
Manchester City’s number of Premier League victories in a row became nine this week: unceremoniously swept away West Ham, who only lasted one half at the Etihad Stadium. Then on the Londoners came the fury of the reigning English champions. In the scorers’ table could not miss the name of Erling Haaland, author of the second of the three goals that Pep Guardiola’s battleship scored against the Hammers (3-0).
The Norwegian striker is in history: there are 35 goals scored in his first season in the Premier League, no one has ever scored so many in the past. Haaland is the added value of a team that is again running like clockwork and has not known defeat now since last February. Yes, City comes as best it could to the crucial month, May, which could give it a mythological Treble. The championship is in the bag after yet another victory over Arsenal, worth the coveted overtaking them in the standings after a very long domination by the Gunners. Now at the top are the Citizens, with one match less than the Londoners (and thus potentially ahead by four points). In the coming week there is an even more important appointment, the first leg of the Champions League semifinal with Real Madrid, Guardiola’s real big goal, which has often escaped at the finest moment in recent years. Finally, the possible icing on the FA Cup cake, with the final scheduled at Wembley next June 3 against Manchester United’s cousins.
Leeds has changed again: there is now Allardyce
Before focusing on the super-match with Real Madrid, Haaland and his teammates will try to unceremoniously file the Leeds file.
Allardyce
The Whites have been on the brink for weeks now while staying out of the red zone. They haven’t won in more than a month and in the last five days have brought home only one point. Last Sunday’s heavy defeat at home to Bournemouth (4-1) convinced the club to also relieve Spaniard Javi Gracia, who in turn had taken Jesse Marsch’s place. It will be up to Dean Sam Allardyce, a specialist in impossible salvations, to ensure that Leeds do not relegate to the Championship. For the experienced coach, however, there is a baptism of fire, at the home of the strongest and most in-form team in the tournament and likely to win its third Premier in a row.
The prediction
Manchester City has the title in hand but must keep winning to ward off a possible Arsenal counter-takeover. Against a Leeds in the blackest of crises, victory should come easily, despite a minimum of turnover by Guardiola ahead of the Champions League semifinal with Real Madrid. The number of goals scored in this match by the Citizens should be between four and two.
The probable lineups of Manchester City-Leeds
- MANCHESTER CITY (4-2-3-1): Ederson; Walker, Stones, Ruben Dias, Aké; Rodri, Gundogan; Foden, Julian Alvarez, Grealish; Haaland.
- LEEDS (4-3-3): Meslier; Ayling, Koch, Wober, Junior Firpo; Roca, McKennie, Forshaw; Summerville, Rodrigo, Gnonto.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 2-2
