Preview
The Premier League is back in action this midweek, with defending champions Man City taking to the field on Tuesday at 3 p.m. at the Etihad Stadium. Leeds will be their opponents, with Guardiola squaring off with the iconic Marcelo Bielsea yet again in a highly-anticipated affair.
The Cityzens enter this interesting tie on the back of excellent form, having won six Premier League games in a row – nine in a row when you factor in the UEFA Champions League. However, given how tight the current Premier League race is, Bernardo Silva and Co. welcome Leeds with little room for error.
While Man City were able to leapfrog Chelsea in the table, Tuchel's men remain in hot pursuit, with the Blues being only two points behind. Liverpool, meanwhile, are only a point behind in second. Both rivals will be in action on Thursday, meaning today's fixture will give the league leaders either a chance to temporarily extend their lead or agonizingly lose ground.
City's most recent game was a victory over Wolves, a match which showcased one of the Cityzens' few flaws. Despite boasting tons of possession and a man advantage due to Raul Jimenez's silly red card, the Premier League giants found it difficult to break down the opposition, needing a controversial Raheem Sterling penalty in order to come away with the three points.
One huge advantage for Guardiola's side is their amazing home form, with the Manchester heavyweights conceding only three times at the Etihad Stadium this season. Will Pep get the better of one of his idols or will the visitors pull off another surprise away win over the reigning champions?
Rival fans would love to see Man City slip-up but Leeds do not boast the best of forms. Last season, Bielsa's men took the Premier League by storm, as Raphina and Co. played expansive and expressive football while testing the nation's top teams.
In fact, their last trip to the Etihad Stadium in the Premier League ended in victory, with a brace from Stuart Dallas earning them a 2-1 triumph back in April despite being a man down. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the Whites this season.
With only three wins from their opening six games, the West Yorkshire club sit dangerously close to the relegation zone, boasting a mere five-point advantage over 18th-placed Burnley. Leeds have won only once in their last six outings and will thus need a miracle in order to turn this around at Man City.
However, it should be pointed out that Bielsa's men were unlucky in their most recent outing, a 3-2 defeat at Chelsea. Despite equalizing with just under 10 minutes of normal time left, Leeds conceded a penalty – albeit a controversial one – in added time and thus came away from Stamford Bridge with nothing. Improvement is needed if they wish to avoid a similar fate on Tuesday.
Team news
Man City: Gundogan picked up a back issue in the game vs Wolves but could be available for this clash. Ferran Torres, on the other hand, remains out. Cancelo is suspended for this clash after racking up too many yellow cards and should thus be replaced by Kyle Walker.
Leeds: Hamstring injuries keep Patrick Bamford, Kalvin Phillips and Liam Cooper on the sidelines. Robin Koch could miss out on this tie due to illness while Rodrigo is yet to recover from his heel issue.
Key stats
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Man City haven't beaten Leeds in any of their last four top-fight encounters.
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Guardiola's side have kept a clean sheet in seven of their last nine home games.
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While the Cityzens boast only the third-best attack in the league, no other side come close to their defensive record, with Dias and Co. being the only team yet to reach double digits in goals conceded (9 GA).
Broadcast listings
Match details, result and original broadcast info
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Live TV coverage and streaming in United States
Live TV coverage and streaming in United States
