I woke up at 3!! so I thought I might as well watch the game at 4am.
Youngster Rico Lewis is given the chance to start ahead of Walker and Cancelo, who are given extended breaks following their World Cup quarter-final exploits.
Haaland almost scored in the first minute with his first touch, a sign of things to come, which we’re already used to.
Man City set up in their usual back 3 in possession with Lewis moving into midfield with Rodri. De Bruyne and Gundogan were higher up and had more positional freedom. Leeds were much less enterprising and aggressive than they had been in the Bielsa era.
Man City did not control the midfield for much of the game, mostly playing around the back and the sides. Before Rodri’s goal just before the break, Leeds were doing a solid job of limiting their opponents, though it came at the expense of their own lifeless attack. The first half was generally boring but for Kyle Walker awkwardly mishandling and destroying a camera.
Grealish missed a number of sitters but redeemed himself when he stole the ball and set up a tap-in for Haaland’s inevitable goal.
The game was practically put to bed when Haaland got a brace which feels customary by now, assisted by Grealish again. Denied 3 good chances by Meslier, Haaland could have had a hat-trick.
Leeds got a consolation goal from a corner and almost pulled one more back which would have put the game on edge.
Manchester City are 5 points off league leaders Arsenal 15 games in. MOTM: Rodri. An excellent performace as midfield custodian plus a goal. What a consistent player.
Though they won 3-1 convincingly, I feel and have always felt this season that Man City are not as formidable as they were in past seasons. They’re just not as relentless and supreme anymore. Maybe it’s an intentional change in style of play, or they’ve actually become weaker despite having Haaland added to their squad. Or it could be that they’ve become poorer because of Haaland as they’ve become less multi-dimensional.
During my nap after the game I dreamt of Haaland scoring his third and even how he did it, together with some pompous English commentary. Wow.
What’s a vivid dream you remember?
BLOGOPUS 