Manchester City will look to maintain their lead atop the Premier League in a nail-biting title race when they travel to Elland Road to face Leeds United on Saturday.
Fresh off of a Champions League semi-final first leg 4-3 win over Real Madrid, Manchester City have the opportunity to finish the season on a historic high as they seek their first Champions League victory as well as another Premier League title.
Pep Guardiola’s men must, however, be wary of the threat posed by second-placed Liverpool, who have been in outstanding form and are breathing down Manchester City’s neck, while the Reds are themselves chasing an even more remarkable and unprecedented quadruple.
On top of that, Guardiola would also not be happy that his team allowed Los Blancos to close the gap, flipping the whole dynamic heading into the second leg. In short, despite being table-toppers and in the lead in their Champions League tie, Manchester City are under a lot of pressure.
So, every game from now until the end of the season is massive for the Citizens, and this upcoming clash against Leeds United at Elland Road could be a potential banana skin as they bid to retain their Premier League crown.
Meanwhile, Leeds are not safe at the other end of the table and are still looking over their shoulders in the battle to avoid the drop, with just five points separating them from third-bottom Everton heading into the latest Premier League matchday.
However, they have found form under new manager Jesse Marsch, with a draw against Crystal Palace last time out making it five straight games undefeated. And they might pose a threat to Manchester City’s championship challenge if the champions take their foot off the throttle.
With Leeds facing Manchester City, Arsenal, and Chelsea in their next three league games, this incredibly difficult stretch might be a pivotal point in their season, and any points gained will be invaluable in their effort to avoid the fall to the second-tier.
The Whites have conceded at least one goal in each of their last nine home games in the Premier League, with their previous clean sheet coming in November 2021. Furthermore, they will still have painful memories of the 7-0 setback they suffered in the reverse fixture at the Etihad Stadium in December.
Team News & Tactics
Leeds United
? ????? ?? ??? ????’? ????????: “Hard work, aggression, defensive, fighting for everything and trying to entertain along the way.” pic.twitter.com/Jl4DwttOD3
— Leeds United (@LUFC) April 28, 2022
Leeds United’s treatment room is looking busy once again, with Adam Forshaw, Tyler Roberts, Crysencio Summerville, and Patrick Bamford all sidelined due to various injuries. But Bamford is close to returning to training and will hope to feature before the season ends.
Jesse Marsch could stick with the same side that started the 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace on Monday. Illan Meslier is Leeds’s undisputed first-choice goalkeeper, and he will start at Elland Road. In front of the French shot-stopper, a back four of Luke Ayling, Diego Llorente, Liam Cooper, and Stuart Dallas are expected to start.
Marsch has significantly tightened up what was a leaky defence under the previous regime, with Leeds conceding only four goals in their past five games and maintaining consecutive clean sheets against Watford and Crystal Palace.
The former RB Leipzig head coach also stated that Mateusz Klich was substituted by Robin Koch at half-time against Crystal Palace for tactical reasons. But the Polish international is set to start in the midfield double-pivot on Saturday alongside star man Kalvin Phillips, who will hope to pull the strings from a deeper position.
Jack Harrison, who was formerly a Manchester City man, has netted three goals in his past four outings and is expected to keep his spot on the left-wing, whereas Brazilian trickster Raphinha will carry the biggest threat for Leeds down the opposite flank. Spearheading the hosts’ attack will be speed merchant Daniel James, who will have the tenacious Rodrigo Moreno playing off of him in the No. 10 capacity.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Meslier; Ayling, Llorente, Cooper, Dallas; Klich, Phillips; Raphinha, Rodrigo, Harrison; James
Manchester City
John Stones and Kyle Walker are both doubtful with respective muscle and ankle injuries; the former sustained a first-half injury against Real Madrid on Tuesday night, while the latter has missed the last four games across all competitions.
Otherwise, Pep Guardiola has a clean bill of health and may decide to rotate his team in both midfield and attack to keep players fresh for the crucial UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg next midweek in Madrid.
Limbering up for Leeds! ??#ManCity pic.twitter.com/fWnbDIMEp1
— Manchester City (@ManCity) April 29, 2022
Ederson Moraes will operate in between the sticks for the upcoming clash. Aymeric Laporte and Ruben Dias will aim to continue their partnership at the heart of the Manchester City backline. The centre-back duo could be a big threat from set-pieces and will relish taking on a Leeds backline in aerial battles.
Joao Cancelo missed the midweek triumph due to a one-match European ban. But the 27-year-old is expected to return to the starting lineup on Saturday and play at right-back, while Oleksandr Zinchenko could retain his place on the left of the back four.
Guardiola may look to shuffle the midfield pack, which could see Bernardo Silva and Rodri drop to the bench. Fernandinho might start in the holding midfield position and could be assigned more of a defensive role to shield the away side’s back-four.
Ilkay Gundogan will slot into the central midfield role, whereas the in-form Kevin De Bruyne is expected to keep his place in the attacking midfield position as Manchester City look to dominate the proceedings.
In attack, Gabriel Jesus’s recent goal-scoring exploits will almost certainly keep him in the starting lineup, operating either through the middle or on the right side. Meanwhile, following a quick turnover, Guardiola could bring fresh legs to his side by handing starts to Raheem Sterling and Jack Grealish in the Manchester City attack.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Ederson; Cancelo, Dias, Laporte, Zinchenko; Gundogan, Fernandinho, De Bruyne; Jesus, Sterling, Grealish
Key Stats
- Only two of Leeds United’s last nine home league games against Manchester City have ended in defeat (W6 D1).
- Manchester City are aiming for their first league double against Leeds United since the 1981-82 campaign that saw the Whites relegated from the top flight.
- Manchester City handed Leeds a 7-0 battering in the reverse fixture, and the Sky Blues have only scored more than 10 goals against an opponent in a single Premier League campaign three times in their history.
- Leeds United have gone winless in their past six games against the defending Premier League champions, with their last victory coming over Arsenal in 1999.
- Manchester City have won 10 of their last 12 away Premier League games, having kept a clean sheet in 9 of those.
Player to Watch
Jack Grealish
After remaining an unused substitute in the thriller against Real Madrid, the £100 million-man may have a chance to prove his worth in this weekend’s clash against Leeds United. The 26-year-old scored in the reverse fixture between the sides and will be looking to add to his tally of two in the Premier League this season.
Having failed to make an impression since his blockbuster arrival, it is clear that the former Aston Villa captain needs to up his game to become a player for the big occasion and earn a regular spot in the team. Grealish will undoubtedly want to play a significant role before the end of the season, and he could be the key to unlocking this stubborn Leeds backline with his direct dribbling and ability to carve out high-quality chances for his teammates.
Prediction
Leeds United 1-2 Manchester City
Manchester City should brace themselves for a hostile atmosphere at Elland Road and a stiffer test this time around against a team fighting for their lives to stay clear of the dreaded bottom-three in Leeds United.
The Whites have had a minor resurgence under the new regime and will seek to give the reigning champions a run for their money in this fixture. On paper, the Citizens are the superior team, and they should have enough quality in their roster to win comfortably even if one or two stars are rested.
