Premier League

MANCHESTER CITY continued their match towards the title with a routine victory over Leeds United. The Whites, under new management following the appointment of Sam Allardyce, were unable to overcome the challenge posed by Pep Guardiola’s league leaders.
Ilkay Gundogan put Leeds to the sword with his first half braceCredit: Getty
Sam Allardyce was unable to mastermind a result to help LeedsCredit: Rex
Erling Haaland hit the woodwork twiceCredit: AP
A first half brace from Ilkay Gundogan set the hosts on their way, with both goals bearing striking similarities to one another.
This being in the form of a cut-back to the edge of the area before the German rifled home past Joel Robles on his Leeds Premier League debut.
The bright spot – if it can be considered that with Leeds edging closer to relegation – was keeping Prem record breaker Erling Haaland at bay.
The City ace was once again at the centre of many of his sides attempts against his Dad’s old team, but he ended his afternoon frustrated after some wasteful finishing which saw him hit the woodwork twice.
Gundogan then missed late on from the penalty spot before Rodrigo fired in a consolation to set up a grand-stand finish. More

PEP GUARDIOLA has been left fuming at Erling Haaland after he seemingly refused to take a penalty versus Leeds.Manchester City were leading 2-0 over relegation-threatened Leeds when they were awarded a spot-kick in the 84th minute.
Pep Guardiola was left raging at Erling HaalandCredit: Sky Sports
Erling Haaland failed to step up and take a penalty to the annoyance of his bossCredit: Getty
Ilkay Gundogan had netted the two goals and was therefore given a chance to score a hat-trick.
However, the midfielder missed his penalty as it hit the post.
The camera then cut to a raging Guardiola, who appeared to shout at Haaland: “You have to take it. Erling, you have to take it.”
Things then got nervous for City as Leeds went up the other end just a minute later and scored via Rodrigo.
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However, the champions managed to hold on for a crucial three points in Sam Allardyce’s first game in charge of the Whites.
Haaland missed several chances during the game and it led fans to joke about a wild conspiracy theory.
Some on social media suggested that the Norwegian deliberately didn’t want to score versus Leeds due to his connection to the club.
Haaland’s dad Alfie played for them between 1997 and 2000.
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And he was born in Leeds while his dad was in his spell at Elland Road.
Fans joked: “The Leeds fan in Haaland really screaming out today.”
Another wrote on Twitter: “Haaland is just trying his hardest to keep Leeds in the Premier League.”
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CHELSEA have suffered another injury blow after Ben Chilwell was forced off injured against Bournemouth. Chilwell has been plagued with injury since joining Chelsea in 2020.
Ben Chilwell was forced off injured once againCredit: Getty
He was forced off against BournemouthCredit: Rex
However, fans were left fuming with Frank Lampard’s choice of replacement.
The Blues interim boss opted to bring on Cesar Azpilicueta in the position rather than Lewis Hall.
Taking to Twitter, one fan fumed: “HALL IS RIGHT THERE.”
A second said: “Lampard has thrown the game with these subs. Again. Sick of him.”
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A third typed: “HES TAKING THE P*** WHY IS AZPI AND ZIYECH COMING ON LAMPARD!!!!!!!!”
“Frank has no idea what he’s doing,” declared a fourth.
A fifth commented: “Lampard is a social experiment.”
While a sixth added: “Azpi over Hall LOOOL.”
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Hall enjoyed a strong string of performances at left-back while playing under Graham Potter earlier in the season.
This is despite Hall’s natural position being that of a central midfielder.
Azpilicueta has endured a difficult season when playing, appearing to be past his best amid Chelsea’s floundering campaign.
However, Chelsea managed to end their winless run after late goals from Benoit Badiashile and and super sub Joao Felix handed the Blues a 3-1 win over Bournemouth.
Although this result keeps Chelsea rooted in the bottom half, three points behind local rivals Fulham in tenth. More

HARRY KANE overtook Wayne Rooney to move as the second-highest Premier League goalscorer.The Tottenham striker, 29, headed in to break the deadlock against Crystal Palace just before half-time.
Harry Kane headed in against Crystal Palace for Premier League goal No209Credit: Reuters
Kane moves clear of Wayne Rooney and is only behind Alan ShearerCredit: Getty

That was his 209th strike in the Premier League, moving him one clear of Rooney on 208.
But Kane has done it in just 317 appearances – whereas Rooney played 491 times in England’s top flight.
And the current England captain is now just 51 goals behind Alan Shearer’s all-time record of 260 goals.
After a goalless loan to Norwich in the top flight, Kane first found the net in the Prem in April 2014 for Spurs against Sunderland.
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And all 208 since have come for his boyhood club – including a whopping 30 in the 2017-18 campaign.
He has collected the Golden Boot three times but is yet to get his hands on the Premier League trophy itself.
As well as surpassing Rooney’s total, the opener against Palace was Kane’s tenth headed goal of the season.
And that is a new record, too, beating the previous tally of nine by Duncan Ferguson in 1997-98.
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It was also his 100th Premier League home goal, making him the only player to reach a century both at home and away.
Plenty of Spurs fans piled in with messages of support for Kane – and are desperate he rejects the advances of Manchester United when the transfer window reopens as the Red Devils plot a mega move.
One said: “Coming for Shearer’s record. Just hope it’s with us.”
Another wrote: “Make way for the king.”
A third added: “He’s just unreal.”
And a final user wrote: “How he has done that with some of the shambles he’s played with is beyond belief.”
Kane’s new milestone comes three days after Erling Haaland scored his 35th Premier League goal of his incredible debut season.
That saw the Manchester City ace break the record of 34 set by both Andy Cole and Shearer nearly 30 years ago.
Wayne Rooney managed 208 Premier League goals for Manchester United and EvertonCredit: AFP More

JACK GREALISH has revealed he shut down Erling Haaland with a brutally witty response after the striker told him not to go out partying.The pair have become good pals since Haaland joined Manchester City last summer.
Jack Grealish and Erling Haaland have become good pals since the striker arrivedCredit: AP
They hit it off during pre-season and get on well on and off the pitch, with Haaland breaking the Premier League goalscoring record in his debut season.
Grealish gave an insight into how the Norwegian has been able to be so successful, claiming he has never seen a player with his mindset.
But the England star is also able to joke around with Haaland and revealed he put him in his place when he warned against partying.
Grealish told the Daily Mail: “Everyone is different, aren’t they? Look at Erling. He is the best professional I have ever seen.
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“His mindset is something you won’t see again. He does everything. Recovers. In the gym. Ten hours of treatment a day. Ice baths. Diet. That’s why he is what he is. But I swear I couldn’t be like that.
“We have a great friendship but he will point at me after a game and say, ‘Hey, don’t you go out tonight partying’. I just tell him to shut up and go and sit in his ice bath. But that’s us. Two different people doing well in our own way.
“I am not as successful as him. He has scored more goals this season than I have in my whole career. But if he did what I occasionally did he would be like, ‘F***ing hell I feel terrible today’.”
Grealish has been in superb form for City this season after a tough first campaign and he has five goals and 11 assists in all competitions.
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He recently spoke about the criticism he has received from pundits and called out Graeme Souness in light of his retirement.
Grealish said: “The way some of the TV pundits talk I can’t actually catch my breath sometimes. It’s as if they never played bad themselves.
“Graeme was an unbelievable player. But he used to say I held on to the ball too long.
“I was like, ‘Mate, I play for Aston Villa’. A lot of the time we didn’t have the ball so when we did the manager told me to keep it.
“It’s the same here. Everyone sees Pep [Guardiola] as a tiki-taka manager, but before the Bayern Munich game away in the Champions League he said, ‘You know what having balls is? It’s about being the one to keep the ball, to calm the game down’.
“So you do that and you get criticised. It’s tricky.” More