Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola described his side's 1-0 win at Leeds United as a 'huge victory' after Antoine Semenyo's first-half strike moved them to within two points of Premier League leaders Arsenal. Semenyo, who joined City from Bournemouth in January, scored his sixth goal in 11 appearances for the club in first-half stoppage time.
Leeds, who remain six points above the relegation zone, missed several early chances through Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Brenden Aaronson. Head coach Daniel Farke was sent off after the final whistle for confronting referee Peter Bankes on the pitch.
Guardiola praised his team's focus and patience, noting that they weathered an intense start from Leeds before controlling the game through possession. He said: 'They started really well. We expect it here at Elland Road. Leeds are always so intense, and after that, we did what I think we have been good at for the last decade, together through a million passes – to make the vibe of the crowd a little bit more calm.'
Play was paused in the 11th minute to allow City's Muslim players to break their Ramadan fast, a move that drew boos from some home fans. Guardiola defended the decision, saying: 'It's the modern world, right? Respect the religion, respect the diversity.' Anti-discrimination organisation Kick It Out condemned the booing, stating that 'football still has a long way to go in terms of education and acceptance.'
Leeds assistant Eddie Riemer, who deputised for the dismissed Farke at the post-match press conference, expressed disappointment at the amount of added time and defended Farke's emotional reaction. He said: 'He's really disappointed to be sent off and would have wished for a more sensible action from the referee as well. Come on, give a yellow card. It's an emotional game, and that's it.'
