Manchester City 7, Leeds United 0
Kevin De Bruyne scored twice as Manchester City went on a seven goal rampage to inflict Leeds’ heaviest ever Premier League defeat.
The seven goal drubbing was also Marcelo Bielsa’s heaviest ever defeat as a manager as De Bruyne was joined on the scoresheet by Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Riyad Mahrez, John Stones, and Nathan Ake.
Leeds were unchanged from their narrow defeat to Chelsea at the weekend, while City made four changes from the side that beat Wolves on Saturday.
They were missing both recognised right backs including Joao Cancelo (suspended), while Gabriel Jesus, Raheem Sterling and Ilkay Gundogan were rested.
Embed from Getty ImagesThey were replaced by Stones (who only started because Kyle Walker was sick), De Bruyne, Foden, and Mahrez.
Grealish and Bernardo Silva could have done better with early efforts but Foden broke the deadlock after 8 minutes after a clearance by Ilian Meslier from Rodri’s shot fell to him.
Foden returned the ball with interest and Luke Ayling couldn’t clear the ball off the line.
Leeds were punished again for poor ball retention and failing to properly clear their lines after 13 minutes when Riyad Mahrez had a second chance to put the ball in after his corner was half cleared – this time Jack Grealish was under the delivery to head it past Meslier.
After 32 minutes the game was over after De Bruyne fired home after he was released by Rodri, who was disastrously left to his own devices by Leeds, and let loose with a left foot shot from an acute angle.
Things went from bad to worse for Leeds as Jamie Shackleton limped off injured – Mateus Klich came on.
Ilkay Gundogan replaced Bernardo Silva and the German quickly found Mahrez for a shot which took a heavy deflection off Junior Firpo to wrong foot Meslier and make it 4-0 after 49 minutes.
Ayling blocked another Mahrez chance while the Algerian saw a free kick saved by Meslier after Grealish was brought down by Firpo who was lucky to escape a second yellow card for his clumsy challenge.
Gundogan volleyed a lob from Mahrez wide as Leeds wilted under the onslaught.
The Lilywhites did test Ederson in the second half – a Stuart Dallas shot hit the post and a deflected shot by Jack Harrison fell wide of Ederson’s goal.
Foden thought he had scored again after 61 minutes but he was offside – VAR correctly ruled it out but De Bruyne smashed in City’s 5th – lashing in from 20 yards after a square pass from Gundogan after Leeds lost the ball again.
There was always the chance of a sixth goal against hapless Leeds and John Stones needed a couple of goes to get the goal after Aymeric Laporte’s header was saved, Stones’ first effort off the rebound was also saved by Meslier but the defender made no mistake with the third shot – rifling it into the roof of the net from close range.
And Nathan Ake rounded off the evening with an emphatic header from Phil Foden’s corner, evading his marker to win a free header to beat the luckless Meslier.
City went after an eighth goal which would have matched their biggest ever Premier League win – an 8-0 win over Watford in September 2019 – settling instead for a joint second largest ever top flight win.
PLAYER RATINGS – Manchester City 7, Leeds United 0
Ederson: 7. Had some work to do as Leeds got more desparate towards the end.
John Stones: 8. Hardly challenged in his unfamiliar right back role but managed to keep his cool and bag himself a goal.
Ruben Dias: 7. Booked for challenge on Tyler Roberts. Earned a rest in the second half as he was on a yellow card.
Aymeric Laporte: 7. Smooth evening for him, was denied a headed goal by Ilian Meslier but John Stones finished it off anyway.
Oleksandr Zinchenko: 7. Couple of mistakes but solid enough and he cut out Ilian Meslier’s goal kick and set City off on the break for Kevin De Bruyne’s second goal.
Rodri: 9. Superb first half. Running into the danger zone rattled Leeds, and his initial shot set up a goal for Phil Foden and his pass for Kevin De Bruyne’s goal was sublime. Got a rest in the second half.
Kevin De Bruyne: 10. Back to his best with first start for 6 games, set up Bernardo Silva with an early chance and had shots of his own culminating in a first half goal followed by a second half stunner from outside the box. Could have had a hat trick right at the end against a demoralised Leeds and he continued to pick them off.
Bernardo Silva: 7. Missed a sitter after City cut through Leeds United, also screwed the ball wide but was his usual free running close control tricky self, leaving people in his wake – sometimes on their backsides. Taken off as an injury precaution at half time.
Riyad Mahrez: 9. Superb cross for Grealish goal. Dangerous from the right and notched a goal to boot.
Jack Grealish: 8. Early shot spilled by Ilian Meslier but he headed home Riyad Mahrez’s cross to make up for it.
Phil Foden: 9. Superb reaction finishing and drove a shot just wide and had another blocked as Leeds were reeling in the first half. Crisp passing as always and constantly looking for gaps.
Ilkay Gündoğan (on for Bernardo Silva, 46): 7. Notched up a couple of assists and might have had a goal of his own.
Fernandinho (on for Rodri, 56): 7. Not much midfield holding to do but he did it well, his cross into the box started the move that was eventually finished by John Stones.
Nathan Ake (on for Ruben Dias, 65): 7. Good defensive work plus a bonus free header for his goal.
GOALS – Manchester City 7, Leeds United 0
Man City 1, Leeds Utd 0: 8. Phil Foden reacted immediately and shot for goal after Ilian Meslier’s clearance fell to him following Rodri’s shot. Luke Ayling couldn’t clear the ball off the line.
Man City 2, Leeds United 0: 13. Jack Grealish headed home Riyad Mahrez’ cross into the box after Leeds failed to clear his corner.
Man City 3, Leeds United 0: 32. Kevin De Bruyne was released by a sumptuous through ball from Rodri, finishing from six yards out wide on the left with a left foot finish.
Man City 4, Leeds Utd 0: 49. Ilkay Gündoğan found Riyad Mahrez with a ball across the front of the area and Riyad Mahrez’ shot took a heavy deflection off Junior Firpo to wrong foot Ilian Meslier.
Man City 5, Leeds Utd 0: 62. Kevin De Bruyne smashed in City’s 5th – lashing in from 20 yards after a square pass from Gundogan after Leeds lost the ball again.
Man City 6, Leeds Utd 0: 74. John Stones rifled the ball into the roof of the net after Ilian Meslier had saved his initial shot having already parried away Aymeric Laporte’s initial header.
Man City 7, Leeds Utd 0: 78. Phil Foden’s corner was converted from 7 yards by Nathan Ake with a towering header after he easily evaded his markers.
MATCH STATS – Manchester City 7, Leeds United 0
Man City: Ederson, Stones, Dias (C) (Ake 65), Laporte, Zinchenko, Rodri (Fernandinho 56), De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva (Gundogan 46), Mahrez, Grealish, Foden
Man City subs not used: Steffen, Sterling, Jesus, Egan-Riley, Palmer, Wilson-Esbrand
Booking: Dias 40 (foul on Tyler Roberts)
Goals: Foden 8; Grealish 13; De Bruyne 32, 62; Mahrez 49; Stones 74; Ake 78
Leeds United: Meslier, Shackleton (Klich 39), Ayling (C), Llorente, Firpo (Drameh 73), Dallas, Forshaw, Raphinha, Roberts, Harrison, James (Gelhardt 46)
Leeds United subs not used: Klaesson, Cresswell, Summerville, Greenwood, McCarron, Jenkins
Booking: Firpo 20 (foul on Riyad Mahrez)
Referee: Paul Tierney