Manchester City journey to Leeds United with one eye on the subsequent day’s match between Arsenal and Chelsea, as they appear to shut the hole on the high and maintain the strain up on the Gunners.
With Leeds in good kind not too long ago, although, it won’t make for a straightforward journey and which means it ought to be an thrilling watch.
Here’s all the things you must know in regards to the match:
How to look at
The match might be broadcast on Saturday on TNT Sports 1 within the UK, Peacock within the U.S., Jio Hotstar in India and Stan Sport in Australia. You may also observe ESPN’s live coverage here.
Key Details
Kick-off time: Saturday, Feb. 28 at 5.30 p.m. GMT (12.30 p.m. ET; 11:00 p.m. IST and 4.30 a.m. AEDT)
Venue: Elland Road, Leeds
Referee: Peter Bankes
VAR: Paul Howard
Injury News
Leeds United
Noah Okafor, F: OUT, hamstring
Man City
Josko Gvardiol, D: OUT, ankle
Max Alleyne, D: DOUBT, knock
Mateo Kovacic, M: OUT, ankle
Jérémy Doku, F: DOUBT, calf
Can Haaland get that scoring contact again?
Erling Haaland leads the Premier League Golden Boot race by a margin, with 22 targets. So then, what’s the issue you ask? Nineteen of these 22 got here within the first 17 matches; over the ten matches, he is scored simply three. It’s not only a drought for somebody of Haaland’s calibre, it is a drought in comparison with the Haaland of the primary half of this very season.
One of the one video games he struggled in in that first half was the house sport vs. Leeds: however as he travels to the town of his delivery, Haaland might be eager to rediscover his capturing boots. After wanting significantly poor over the month of January, he is regarded sharp once more in latest video games, even when the targets have not flowed.
City have others sharing the goalscoring duties now, however with the enterprise finish upon us, they’d a lot recognize it if their important man will get going once more.
Leeds will not need to get dragged all the way down to a relegation battle
Leeds’ present kind has been glorious. Unbeaten in February (W1, D2), solely the 2 Manchester golf equipment have misplaced fewer video games (2) since December — even when Leeds have drawn essentially the most matches on this interval (8). It’s this duality that Daniel Farke will need to handle.
Although six factors away from 18th positioned West Ham United, Farke will know that it will solely take a couple of unhealthy outcomes for his facet to get dragged right into a relegation canine battle come the top of the season. The one technique to keep away from that’s to maintain up their latest uptick of kind, buoyed by Farke’s mid-season shift to a again three and targets coming in from all quarters.
A giant end result towards City might be precisely the type of factor that can spur them to maintain that momentum up.
Can City maintain the strain on Arsenal?
Like a lot of the coming matchdays, Man City play earlier than Arsenal do and that is an equation Pep Guardiola will love. One, due to their file in such matches — City have solely misplaced one in all their final 14 league video games when taking part in the day earlier than Arsenal (W10 D3). Two, as a result of that is precisely how City can pile the strain on Arsenal.
A win on Saturday cuts Arsenal’s lead again to 2 forward of their massive sport towards Champions League-chasing Chelsea… and that is precisely the place Guardiola needs to maintain it, with their game-in-hand and that dwelling match vs Arsenal developing quickly.
Leeds have to cease letting in late targets
This season, Leeds have allowed opponents to attain 12 targets from the 86th minute onwards — essentially the most of any facet within the league. These 12 targets have translated into one other league excessive 9 factors dropped on the dying.
That’s the type of factor that retains a staff from competing for Europe and as an alternative has them floating simply above a possible relegation battle. This has been a serious purpose why they’ve drawn extra matches since December than anybody else within the division — in three of their final 4 attracts, they took a 1-0 lead earlier than ending up with a 1-1 draw (pattern final weekend’s draw vs Aston Villa, the place they conceded within the 88th minute).
Farke might be eager for his facet to kick this behavior.
What do the numbers say?
Leeds have misplaced every of their final 5 Premier League video games towards Man City
Man City have gained their final two away league video games towards Leeds — solely as soon as have they gained three consecutively, and that was once they first went to Elland Road, between 1924 and 1928.
Haaland scored two targets on his final league go to to Elland Road in December 2022. No visiting participant has scored 2+ targets in consecutive Premier League period visits to the stadium.
Nico O’Reilly has scored in every of his final two Premier League appearances for Manchester City. The final City participant to internet in three in a row earlier than the age of 21 was Phil Foden in 2020.
