Leeds United 0-4 Manchester City: Match Statistics
Amid the chaos, Manchester City kept calm to keep their destiny in their own hands.
At Elland Road on Saturday evening, Leeds United did everything they could to drag Pep Guardiola's side into a match of disarray and disorder; one that was just as crucial to their relegation battle as it was to City's Premier League title hopes.
However, City know how to hold their nerve in high-pressure situations and, thanks to a 4-0 win which restored their one-point advantage over Liverpool at the top of the table, the English champions are now just four more victories away from retaining their title.
Tuesday night's chaotic Champions League victory over Real Madrid was an extreme example of what can happen if you throw City out of their rhythm, with both sides exchanging punches like two heavyweight sluggers, and Guardiola is determined to stop it happening too often.
Ruben Dias returned to the ground where he made his City debut in October 2020 and instantly pulled together a struggling defence – and reprised the role here alongside Aymeric Laporte.
City's centre-back pairing provided City with the platform for their success, shutting down a passionate but toothless Leeds side who didn't manage a shot on target until the 89th minute.
Still, the hosts gave their all from start to finish, and there were undeniably moments in the first half when City looked upset by the home side's physical approach.
Bernardo Silva quarrelled with the home side's bench, Guardiola and Jack Grealish exchanged views over a hacked clearance, and Joao Cancelo almost recreated Seven Gerrard's infamous slip that cost Liverpool the 2014 title, before Ilkay Gundogan sprinted back to save his embarrassment.
However, City were ultimately far too strong for their opponents, even though Guardiola rotated his squad ahead of the return to the Santiago Bernabeu, with Kevin De Bruyne and Silva missing as part of a calculated gamble.
Raheem Sterling was recalled and danced through what looked like the floor of a school disco after Leeds fans covered the pitch with paper detritus, and he was unfortunate not to find the goal.
On the other side, £100 million Jack Grealish sparkled sporadically in between being targeted by the fans and Leeds players.
Stuart Dallas, caught him late with one challenge, but came off worse and unfortunately left the pitch on a stretcher.
Again, though, it was the magic of Phil Foden that was the biggest threat.
A certain starter in the Spanish capital, he moved to a more central role and pulled the strings and pulled the Leeds defence apart.
He claimed two assists, the first with a driven free-kick that Rodri simply had to touch in to put City ahead.
His second, and City's third, showcased why the No.8 position will be his long-term role, as he drove at the Leeds defence and played a beautifully-weighted pass for Gabriel Jesus to score his sixth goal in three games.
Guardiola's instant reaction was to take Foden off and wrap him up for the huge second leg in the Spanish capital on Wednesday.
The pressure may be building, but City show no signs of imploding.
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