Everything Alan Shearer and Ashley Williams said about Leeds United vs Man City on Match of the Day
Alan Shearer and Ashley Williams admitted Manchester City had to work really hard to get a win at Leeds United.
Leeds suffered only their third Premier League defeat in 15 games after a 1-0 loss to City at Elland Road on Saturday.
Daniel Farke‘s side had some gilt-edged chances through Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Brenden Aaronson, but Antoine Semenyo’s goal in first-half stoppage time proved the difference.
The result meant that Leeds stayed six points clear of the relegation zone with 10 games to go after 18th-placed West Ham were thumped 5-2 by Liverpool earlier in the day.
Despite former Newcastle United striker Shearer and ex-Everton defender Williams saving most of their praise for Pep Guardiola’s side, they did acknowledge Leeds’ fighting spirit.
Leeds backed to stay up ahead of Sunderland clash
Speaking on Match of the Day on Saturday, Gabby Logan described City’s goal against Leeds as a “sucker punch”, with Shearer admitting the visitors had to work very hard for all three points.
He said, “They were under huge pressure from Leeds, particularly the first 30 minutes or so, and it might have been an issue when [Erling] Haaland was out, but not anymore with this guy [Antoine Semenyo] with the form that he is in.”
Indeed, Leeds had 14 shots on goal to City’s 14 and mustered an Expected Goals tally of 1.47, versus the visitors’ 1.77. Leeds also matched City for touches in the opposition box (25) and, for the first 30 minutes or so, should have been ahead.
Former Wales international Ashley Williams added that Leeds had a real go at City under Farke, and thinks that if they beat Sunderland on Tuesday, they should be able to stay up this season.
He said on MOTD: “They’ve [Leeds] been impressive. Even today (Saturday), they were really good playing against Manchester City; they didn’t sit back, they had a full press.
“I think Daniel Farke’s got them playing some good football now; they understand each other’s roles. If they get that win [over Sunderland], I think they’ll be alright.”
For that game, however, Leeds will be without Farke on the touchline after he was shown a red card following the final whistle for remonstrating with referee Peter Bankes.
Did Leeds not get the rub of the green against Man City?
Farke’s anger at full-time appeared to stem from the officials only adding six minutes on at the end of the contest, despite City’s frequent time-wasting.
Moreover, Rayan Cherki was fortunate not to get a card after an apparent stamp on Leeds’ Ilia Gruev early in the second half.
Leeds fans and players also protested that they should have had a penalty late on when the ball appeared to hit the arm of City’s Matheus Nunes.
Farke is now set to serve a one-match touchline ban, meaning he will be in the stands for Leeds’ crunch clash with Sunderland on Tuesday night.
Victory under the lights at Leeds’ home ground would lift Farke’s side nine points clear of the bottom three, although West Ham could cut that gap on Wednesday away to Fulham.
A loss for Leeds and a win for the Hammers will set a cat amongst the pigeons again in the relegation battle.
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