Manchester City moved four points away from Arsenal at the top of the English Premier League, with a difficult victory over its guest Leeds 2-1, to increase pressure on the capital team, which in turn is facing a difficult test against Newcastle III at the last stadium, Sunday, in the thirty-fifth stage.

Manchester City raised its score to 82 points, compared to 78 for Arsenal, who played the same number of matches. Given the vast difference in goal difference between City and Arsenal, the former needs 8 points out of the remaining 12 to win the third consecutive title and the fifth in the last six seasons.

German Ilkay Gundogan scored two City goals in the first half after two assists from the Algerian wing, Riyad Mahrez (19 and 27), to return and miss the opportunity to score the first hat-trick in his career when he hit a penalty kick at the post at the end of the match, before Leeds responded with a late goal by Spanish striker Rodrigo (85). ).

Despite Manchester City's strong confrontation expected Tuesday against Real Madrid, Spain, in the semi-finals of the European Champions League competition, its Spanish coach, Pep Guardiola, involved his key players, led by Norwegian striker Erling Haaland and Belgian playmaker Kevin De Bruyne, returning from injury throughout the ninety minutes, while He rested midfielder Rodri, Portuguese Bernardo Silva and compatriot Robin Dias.

On the other hand, Leeds was playing the first official match under the supervision of its veteran coach, Sam Allardyce, who took over the task this week after Spaniard Javi Gracia was dismissed from his post due to the poor results of the team, which is in danger of relegation.

And after Haaland missed a first opportunity at the start of the match, Gundogan succeeded in taking advantage of a ruler pass from Mahrez to follow it out of reach of Leeds' Spanish goalkeeper Joel Robles (19).

The same scenario was repeated eight minutes later, when Mahrez passed a ball on the outskirts of the area towards Gundogan, to follow it into the net.
Haaland missed a second chance when he hit the post in the second half, then hit the post as well, failing to increase his goal tally in the domestic league, as he owns 35 goals, a record in the English Premier League in one season.

And City had the opportunity to finally decide the result in his favor when the referee awarded him a penalty kick after obstructing Phil Foden inside the area, so Gundogan rushed to it, but he hit it at the post, depriving himself of scoring the first hat-trick in his career (84).

A minute later, Leeds narrowed the gap by substitute striker Rodrigo, who took advantage of a defensive error to shoot past Brazilian goalkeeper Ederson, but City managed to get away with the three points.

Chelsea achieved its first victory under the supervision of its interim coach and former star, Frank Lampard, after six successive defeats, after returning victorious from Bournemouth 3-1.

Scotsman Connor Gallagher (9), French defender Benoit Badiachel (82) and Portuguese Joao Felix (86) scored Chelsea's goals, while Uruguayan Matthias Fina scored Bournemouth's only goal (21).

Tottenham achieved a difficult victory over its neighbor Crystal Palace with a single goal scored by top scorer Harry Kane with a header in the first minute of stoppage time in the first half.

Aston Villa suffered a second successive loss against its neighbor, Wolverhampton, with a single goal scored by Portuguese Totti Gomez in the ninth minute, ensuring that the winner, by a large percentage, will remain among the elite next season.

The loss is the second in a row for Aston Villa, after it fell to Manchester United last week, after a long series of victories.
Liverpool will meet Brentford later, while West Ham will meet Manchester United on Sunday.