Erling Haaland scored his 19th and 20th Premier League goals of the season as Manchester City defeated Leeds United 3-1 at the Etihad Stadium. The Norwegian striker, who grew up supporting Leeds, netted twice in the second half after Rodri had given City the lead in first-half stoppage time. Haaland's goals came from assists by Jack Grealish, who was the subject of jeers from the Leeds fans throughout the match.
Leeds had their moments, with Pascal Struijk heading home a corner to reduce the deficit, but they were unable to cope with City's slick passing and movement. The visitors' captain Liam Cooper made a costly error for the second goal, passing straight to Grealish, who set up Haaland for a simple finish. Haaland later added his 20th of the campaign with a clinical strike that went in via Illan Meslier's hand.
City dominated from the start, with Haaland almost scoring within 40 seconds when he lobbed the goalkeeper but saw his effort diverted. Rico Lewis impressed on his full Premier League debut, while Kevin De Bruyne created several chances. Leeds manager Jesse Marsch, who previously coached Haaland at RB Salzburg, was visibly frustrated on the touchline as his side struggled to contain the champions.
Leeds fans directed chants at Kalvin Phillips, who was described as 'overweight' by Pep Guardiola after returning from the World Cup. Grealish became a pantomime villain after a tackle by Struijk, but he had the last laugh with two assists. Haaland admitted he could have scored five, leaving him seven goals clear of Harry Kane in the scoring charts.
