Erling Haaland continued his unbelievable season in entrance of objective with a brace to assist Manchester City cruise to a 3-1 victory at Leeds United on Wednesday, guaranteeing the champions closed the hole to Premier League leaders Arsenal to 5 factors.
The guests had a hosts of probabilities within the first half, with Haaland twice denied by advantageous saves from dwelling goalkeeper Illan Meslier, whereas England ahead Jack Grealish blazed two efforts over from good positions.
It appeared City would go into the interval pissed off, earlier than Spanish midfielder Rodri lastly made one depend in first half stoppage time, firing dwelling after one other Meslier save.
Back within the metropolis of his beginning, the place his father was a participant for Leeds, Norway worldwide Haaland successfully put the sport to mattress early within the second half with a easy end, earlier than taking his league tally to twenty for the season within the sixty fourth minute.
Pascal Struijk gave dwelling supporters faint hope of a comeback as he headed dwelling with 17 minutes left, nevertheless it was all the time going to be a comfort in opposition to City on this temper.
The victory helped second-placed City transfer again to inside 5 factors Arsenal on the prime of the standings, whereas Leeds keep fifteenth, two factors away from the relegation zone.
“I have a (goal) target but I cannot say it,” Haaland advised Amazon. “I just said inside the dressing room that I could have scored five but the most important thing is that we won.
“We need to hunt Arsenal. I may have scored a pair extra however that is life and I’ve to coach extra.”
City lost their last league match before the World Cup break to Brentford but dominated from the off in West Yorkshire, with Haaland wasting no time in having a first attempt at goal, seeing his effort to loft the ball into the net well saved after just 36 seconds.
Against the side they conceded 11 goals over two league matches last term, Leeds remained up against it as Haaland was presented with another golden chance to break the deadlock but he again could not beat Meslier.
The opportunities kept coming and going for City, but finally, with their 16th shot of the opening period alone, Rodri was on hand to stab the opener home.
Alfie Haaland took 181 Premier League appearances to score 18 goals in the competition, but his son needed just 14 to overtake him, slotting home Grealish’s pass six minutes into the second half to double City’s lead.
Haaland then smashed the record for number of games needed to reach the 20 mark by converting another Grealish pass to make it three, needing seven fewer matches to reach such a goal tally than the next quickest, Kevin Phillips.
Leeds boss Jesse Marsch felt the timing of the goals his side conceded were their undoing.
“One factor about Man City is that they’re able to manipulate the sport with possession and unbalance you however they had been in a position to get us on the transition twice and there was a give away from us which gifted them a objective,” Marsch said.
“We contained them properly within the first half and we had been fairly steady. Then that early objective after the break killed us.”
