Defending champions Manchester City thrashed Leeds United 7-0 to claim a seventh successive win and move four points clear at the top of the English Premier League on Tuesday, December 14th, 2021.
Phil Foden opened the scoring after eight minutes, following up after Rodri’s effort was saved – although Stuart Dallas should have done far better with his attempted goal-line clearance.
Foden’s goal was City’s 500th in the Premier League in 207 games under Pep Guardiola, with the Spaniard becoming the quickest manager to reach that landmark – the previous best was Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, who took 234 matches.
It only took five minutes more before goal number 501 arrived, with Riyad Mahrez given time to bend in a cross from the right of the area for Jack Grealish to nod home a rare – for him – headed goal.
City did not stop coming forward and Kevin de Bruyne joined the party just after the half-hour mark, firing home from a Rodri pass for his first goal since mid-October.
That made sure of a seventh straight league win for Guardiola’s men but they were in the mood to dish out more punishment against a side that took four points off them last season, and beat them here with 10 men.
The second half had barely started when Mahrez made it 4-0, with a low shot that deflected in off Junior Firpo, before De Bruyne made it five with the best goal of the night, a thunderous strike into the top corner from distance.
John Stones made it six at the second attempt after Aymeric Laporte’s header was saved, and there was no respite for Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier as Nathan Ake headed home City’s seventh from a Foden corner.
Line-Up
Man City: Ederson, Stones, Dias, Laporte, Zinchenko, Rodri, De Bruyne, Mahrez, Bernardo Silva, Foden, Grealish.
Subs: Ake, Gundogan, Fernandinho.
Leeds: Meslier, Shackleton, Ayling, Llorente, Firpo, Dallas, Forshaw, Raphinha, James, Harrison, Roberts.
Subs: Gelhardt, Drameh, Klich.
Man of the Match: Kevin de Bruyne
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