Leeds vs Man City LIVE: Premier League team news and line-ups as Foden and Cancelo benched
Guardiola: “It won’t be a friendly game”
After Arsenal’s Boxing Day victory over West Ham the pressure is back on Manchester City to regain lost ground on the current Premier League leaders. Pep Guardiola’s men come into the match sitting third in the table and eight points behind the Gunners although they have a game in hand on the London club.
The 2021/22 champions are still the favourites to go on and win the title but this season they face the challenge of chasing down a team above them instead of leading the way. City’s first match back following the World Cup break saw them overcome Liverpool 3-2 in the Carabao Cup fourth round with striker Erling Haaland on target once again despite not playing for six weeks.
Their opponents tonight are Jesse Marsch’sLeeds United who are looking to further distance themselves from the relegation zone. The Whites are just two points above the drop zone but they do have a couple of games in hand on the eight teams around them in the bottom half of the table. Can they shock Manchester City at Elland Road tonight?
Follow all the action with our live blog below:
Leeds vs Man City
Leeds host Manchester City in the Premier League with kick off at 8pmCity chasing down Arsenal for top spot in table as Leeds look to push away from relegation zoneIllan Meslier starts but Tyler Adams is suspended as Man City’s Joao Cancelo and Phil Foden start on benchLeeds XI: Meslier, Kristensen, Struijk, Cooper, Koch, Roca, Forshaw, Greenwood, Aaronson, Gnonto, RodrigoMan City XI: Ederson, Lewis, Akanji, Stones, Ake, Rodri, De Bruyne, Gundogan, Mahrez, Haaland, GrealishShow latest update
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A dynamic duo
Rodrigo and Crysencio Summerville both scored in each of Leeds’ final four league matches before the World Cup. It was the first time a pair of team-mates had netted in four successive Premier League games.
Rodrigo starts for the hosts tonight but Summerville will have to make an impact off the bench.
Michael Jones28 December 2022 19:53
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Kevin De Bruyne tips ‘unique’ Erling Haaland to join Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo’s exclusive club
The Norwegian has made a spectacular start to his Manchester City by scoring 24 goals in 19 games and, at the age of just 22, has already scored 200 goals for clubs and country.
De Bruyne, who has established a fine understanding with Haaland since the striker’s summer transfer from Borussia Dortmund, thinks he has the ability to quadruple that tally before he retires.
Ronaldo has scored the most goals in the history of professional football, with 819 goals for Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and Portugal, with Messi not far behind him.
Michael Jones28 December 2022 19:49
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Back-to-back defeats for City?
Manchester City are aiming to avoid losing consecutive league games for the first time since December 2018 following their 2-1 defeat to Brentford before the World Cup break.
Yet, Pep Guardiola has lost eight Premier League matches as a manager in December, at least twice as many as in any other month.
Michael Jones28 December 2022 19:45
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Can Leeds defeat the Premier League champions?
Jesse Marsch’s side have won three of their seven home league fixtures this season, only one fewer than their total number of victories at Elland Road last term.
But, their most recent Premier League home win against the reigning champions was a 1-0 victory versus Arsenal in May 1999.
Michael Jones28 December 2022 19:41
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Erling Haaland will not be ‘contaminated’ by Leeds’ nice words, says Pep Guardiola
The prolific Norwegian will be the centre of attention even more than usual on Wednesday as Manchester City resume their Premier League title defence at Elland Road.
Haaland, who has scored 24 goals in just 19 appearances for City, was born in the West Yorkshire city in 2000 during his father Alf-Inge’s three-year spell as a defender with the Whites.
He grew up supporting Leeds – as well as City, where Alf-Inge subsequently played – and the encounter is sure to be a poignant one for the Haaland family.
Michael Jones28 December 2022 19:37
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Leeds must get lucky to stop Erling Haaland scoring on first trip home, acknowledges Jesse Marsch
Marsch spent a year as Haaland’s head coach at RB Salzburg after the Norwegian’s move from Molde in early 2019 and says having the inside track could also be beneficial.
The Leeds boss said: “Yeah, it will help us I think a little bit. It will motivate him on the day a little bit, but it will motivate me as well. The time I had with Erling was just outstanding and we had an incredible relationship.
Michael Jones28 December 2022 19:33
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Will Man City score away from home?
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City have not scored from open play in any of their last four away matches in all competitions. Can they break that duck tonight?
Michael Jones28 December 2022 19:29
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Leaky Leeds
Leeds United are one goal short of equalling the club Premier League record for most goals conceded in a calendar year: 70 in 2003.
(Getty Images)
Michael Jones28 December 2022 19:25
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Jesse Marsch believes Leeds return will see Kalvin Phillips thrive
But Marsch feels the 27-year-old would be inspired by an appearance back at his boyhood club following his £45million summer transfer.
Michael Jones28 December 2022 19:21
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Comeback kings
Manchester City are the only side in the last 13 seasons to not be top on Christmas Day but still go on to lift the title, having done so on three occasions in 2013/14, 2018/19 and 2020/21.
Will they add a fourth title winning season to this statistic by the end of this current campaign?
Michael Jones28 December 2022 19:17