In the 27th round of the Premier League, Manchester City defeated Leeds United 1:0 away, despite the absence of the injured Erling Haaland. The winning goal was scored by Antoine Semenyo, allowing Pep Guardiola's team to reduce the gap to league leaders Arsenal to two points. However, the match was overshadowed by the behavior of some home fans, who booed a break called to allow Muslim players to break their fast during Ramadan.

Narrow victory for City

Antoine Semenyo's goal secured three points for the Manchester team on the difficult turf in Leeds.

Erling Haaland's injury

The league's top striker did not play in the match due to an injury, raising concerns ahead of the match against Real Madrid.

Scandal in the stands

Leeds fans booed a break for a meal for players fasting during Ramadan, which was condemned by Pep Guardiola.

League table situation

Manchester City closed the gap to Arsenal to just two points, intensifying the title race.

Manchester City secured a crucial victory in the race for the English championship, defeating Leeds United 1:0 at Elland Road. This win is particularly significant as the team had to cope without their top scorer, Erling Haaland, who is dealing with an injury. In the Norwegian's absence, Antoine Semenyo took on the role of hero, with his second-half goal deciding the match. Thanks to this win, 'The Citizens' are now just two points behind the league leaders, Arsenal, putting direct pressure on the Londoners ahead of their upcoming match against Chelsea. The rivalry between Manchester City and Arsenal in recent years has become the main axis of the title fight in the Premier League, reminiscent of the old Manchester United vs Arsenal clashes at the turn of the century.Unfortunately, the sporting emotions were disrupted by an incident involving Leeds United fans. The referee, in accordance with regulations, called for a short break in play to allow Muslim players from both teams to have a meal after sunset, breaking their fast during Ramadan. Some fans gathered in the stadium reacted to this gesture with booing, which was met with immediate and firm criticism from Pep Guardiola. The visiting coach emphasized in his post-match comments the need to show respect for religious and cultural diversity in football. „It is a question of respect. We have to understand that football is for everyone and religion is a fundamental part of many players' lives.” — Pep GuardiolaThe victory over Leeds is also an important signal of City's readiness ahead of the upcoming Champions League clash against Real Madrid. While Spanish media point to Haaland's absence as a "minor problem", the overall form of Guardiola's team seems stable. In another interesting match of this round, Wolverhampton defeated Aston Villa 2:0, which practically dashed Unai Emery's team's hopes of joining the title race, while allowing 'The Wolves' themselves to avoid the ignominious record of the lowest points tally in their Premier League history.

Mentioned People

  • Pep Guardiola — Manager of Manchester City, who criticized the behavior of Leeds fans.
  • Antoine Semenyo — Scorer of the winning goal for Manchester City.
  • Erling Haaland — Manchester City star, absent from the match due to injury.