Premier League: Manchester City beat Leeds to maintain the top spot

LONDON: Hard-charging Manchester City went four points clear of Arsenal at the top the Premier League on Saturday, beating Leeds United 2-0 with a pair of near-identical goals from Ilkay Gundogan, stretching its winning league run to 10 games.

City’s prolific striker Erling Haaland graciously handed the ball to Gundogan to take a penalty kick in the 84th minute for what would have been a hat-trick, but Leeds keeper Joel Robles had no trouble turning aside his shot.

City had run circles around Leeds with numerous excellent scoring chances before Gundogan struck in the 19th minute from the edge of the 18-yard box off a pass from Riyad Mahrez. Mahrez teed up Gundogan again eight minutes later in a carbon copy of his first goal.

Rodrigo Moreno pulled one back for Leeds in the 85th minute.

With four games left, Pep Guardiola’s side have 82 points to Arsenal’s 78, and if the Gunners lose to Newcastle on Sunday City will have all but locked up an illustrious third consecutive title. Leeds, playing its first game under interim manager Sam Allardyce who was parachuted in in a last-ditch effort to avoid relegation, is teetering in 17th place - and all three teams below it have a game in hand. Agencies

Also Read: GUWAHATI: Former footballer Durga Chetry passes away in GMCH

Also Watch: