Semenyo sinks Leeds as Man City close gap on Arsenal / Photo: Oli SCARFF - AFP
Semenyo sinks Leeds as Man City close gap on Arsenal
Antoine Semenyo fired Manchester City to a gritty 1-0 win over Leeds on Saturday as the Premier League title chasers closed the gap on leaders Arsenal without Erling Haaland.
Semenyo netted late in the first half at Elland Road with his sixth goal since signing from Bournemouth in January.
The Ghana forward's strike lifted second-placed City to within two points of Arsenal, who host London rivals Chelsea on Sunday.
City's fourth successive league win was achieved in the absence of Haaland after the prolific striker was ruled out with an injury suffered in training on Thursday.
"A little injury. It's not a big issue but not ready for today," City boss Pep Guardiola said just before kick-off.
City hope Haaland will recover in time for Wednesday's clash with Nottingham Forest.
Remarkably, City have a better win ratio in the top-flight without the Norway star than when he plays.
Although they were not at their best, City's hard-fought success in a hostile environment kept the destiny of the title in their own hands.
Chasing the seventh title of Guardiola's reign, City will be guaranteed the crown if they win their last 10 games regardless of Arsenal's results across the same number of matches.
City will have a game in hand on Arsenal after this weekend and host the Gunners in April.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin wasted a golden opportunity to put Leeds ahead in the opening moments when he scuffed Brenden Aaronson's cross wide with just Gianluigi Donnarumma to beat.
The game was briefly paused to allow the Muslim players on both teams, including City's Omar Marmoush, Rayan Cherki and Rayan Ait-Nouri, to break their Ramadan fast at dusk.
Despite a message on the big screen revealing what the break was for, fans jeered when the players came to the side of the pitch.
- City survive -
Calvert-Lewin went close again after the resumption, turning City defender Marc Guehi before shooting narrowly wide of the far post.
Shaken by Leeds' relentless pressing, City struggled to find any rhythm in the first half.
James Justin's blast forced a good save from Donnarumma, while Aaronson poked just wide from Jayden Bogle's cross.
Guardiola grew increasingly frustrated on the touchline as City failed to manage a single shot on target in the first 39 minutes.
Donnarumma came to City's rescue again, smothering Aaronson's effort after the Leeds midfielder scampered clear.
City finally showed signs of life when Marmoush's low drive was held by Karl Darlow, who parried away Nico O'Reilly's close-range header moments later.
It was a warning Leeds failed to heed as City snatched the lead with an intricately crafted goal in first half stoppage-time.
Cherki's pin-point pass picked out Ait-Nouri's run into the Leeds area and the defender's low cross was perfectly placed for Semenyo to slide in with a close-range finish.
City looked more confident after Semenyo's opener and should have gone further ahead after the interval.
Marmoush was just five yards out when he stretched in a failed attempt to convert Ruben Dias' miscued shot.
Guehi's header from Cherki's corner was clawed away by Darlow.
City had to survive a tense finale, with Jaka Bijol heading a corner inches wide, before they could finally celebrate.
M.Sutherland--NG
