Man City vs Aston Villa LIVE: Premier League result and final score as Riyad Mahrez penalty wraps up win
Man City 3-1 Aston Villa: The hosts were dominant as goals from Rodri, Gundogan and Mahrez saw the champions close the gap to three points of Arsenal
Manchester City produced a defiant response to the Premier League’s charge sheet as they comfortably beat Aston Villa 3-1 to close to within three points of leaders Arsenal on Sunday.
Goals by Rodri, Ilkay Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez put the result beyond doubt by halftime as City got back on track following last weekend’s loss at Tottenham Hotspur.
With the club facing more than 100 charges relating to alleged financial misconduct the home fans were in belligerent mood at the Etihad Stadium with a series of ironic chants.
Pep Guardiola’s side needed only four minutes to take the lead when Rodri headed in Riyad Mahrez’s corner and they were cruising when Erling Haaland set up Gundogan in the 39th minute.
Villa were left with mission impossible when Mahrez tucked away a penalty in first-half stoppage time after Jacob Ramsey was adjudged to have tripped former Villa player Jack Grealish.
Ollie Watkins scored for the third successive league match to reduce the deficit on the hour mark and Villa also struck the woodwork through substitute Jhon Duran late on but City never looked in any real danger of dropping points.
.Earlier, late goals from Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho earned Manchester United a hard-fought 2-0 victory at Leeds. It meant United leap-frogged City into second place, but the Premier League champions then responded.
Leeds 0-2 Man Utd
88 mins: Two goals in five minutes have been Leeds’ undoing. Can they strike back with less than five minutes of the 90 to play? It seems unlikely but Manchester United have just do it.
The home side win a free kick in the final third and substitute Sam Greenwood whips it into the box. Max Wober leaps towards the ball but can’t control his header and Man Utd poke it out for a corner.
GOAL! Leeds 0-2 Man Utd (Garnacho, 85’)⚽️
85 mins: It’s a double blow for Leeds! Man Utd win the ball in midfield and work it to Wout Weghorst. He spins and slides the ball over to Alejandro Garnacho on the left wing.
Garnacho drives up the pitch, cuts into the penalty area then curls his effort past Illan Meslier to make Man Utd’s lead comfortable.
That should secure them the points.
Leeds 0-1 Man Utd
83 mins: Marcus Rashford’s incredible scoring record goes on and he may just have sent Man Utd up to second place in the Premier League table. He’s got 21 goals this season and it was a wonderful delivery from Luke Shaw too.
Can Leeds respond? They deserve at least a point for this performance.
GOAL! Leeds 0-1 Man Utd (Rashford, 80’)⚽️
80 mins: Gamechanger! Marcel Sabitzer switches the play with a cross field pass over to Luke Shaw on the left wing. He brings the ball down, holds off a defender then whips a cross into the middle of the box.
Marcus Rashford runs through the lines, meets the ball in the air and nods it into the top corner!
Manchester United take the lead with 10 minutes to play.
Leeds 0-0 Man Utd
77 mins: Save! Crysencio Summerville gets half a yard on Lisandro Martinez and manages to slip in behind the Man Utd defender. He brings the ball under control inside the box and fizzes a low effort at goal from a tight angle.
With the ball coming across him, David De Gea sticks out his right boot and tips it wide of the far post!
Leeds 0-0 Man Utd
74 mins: Leeds need to make sure they remain switched on. They’ve been fantastic so far but look a little leggy. They certainly aren’t pressing with as much gusto as they previously had.
Wilfried Gnonto is full of energy though. He drives the ball across the box and over to the right wing. He looks to play it inside to Crysencio Summerville but his pass is intercepted and Man Utd work it clear.
Leeds 0-0 Man Utd
71 mins: Manchester United are seeing more of the ball now as time ticks on. Leeds are trying to keep some energy in reserve for the final 10 minutes.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka comes on to replace Diogo Dalot for the visitors as Brenden Aaronson replaces Jack Harrison for Leeds.
Man City vs Aston Villa line-ups
Man City XI: Ederson, Walker, Dias, Laporte, Rodrigo, De Bruyne, Gundogan, Bernardo, Mahrez, Grealish, Haaland
Aston Villa XI: Martinez, Young, Konsa, Chambers, Digne, J. Ramsey, Douglas Luiz, Kamara, Buendia, Bailey, Watkins
Leeds 0-0 Man Utd
67 mins: Lisandro Martinez floats a long ball over the top and picks out Marcus Rashford. He brings the ball down before slipping a pass into the box for Garnacho.
Ayling is aware of the danger though and slides over to knock the ball out of play off the arriving Man Utd winger.
Leeds 0-0 Man Utd
64 mins: Off the crossbar! Manchester United burst into life with Garnacho weaving the ball into the box from the left. He pulls it back to Fred who lays the ball across to Diogo Dalot.
The right-back lets fly with a strike from range and rattles the crossbar! Illan Meslier was beaten all ends up there but the upright comes to his rescue.
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