Manchester City v. Leeds United | PREMIER LEAGUE HIGHLIGHTS | 5/6/2023 | NBC Sports

Let's head over to the Etihad for Man City leads, taking another look at those key starting lineups, Tim. Pep Guardiola makes seven changes, quite a lot with the game and the Champions League midweek in mind. When you look at the middle of midfield, Gundogan comes in for Rodri and Lewis, who's going to play in that inverted full-back role, comes in for Stones, he plays it really, really well. One of the changes that wasn't made was Holland, of course, up top. He leads the league in goals, no doubt he was playing today. And on the left-hand side, Phil Foden. He's had a really good season, just hasn't had the run that he was probably hoping for. Ten goals and five assists. Okay, how about Sam Allardyce and his men? Just his first game of four in the hopes to save leads. Well, this is where all the intrigue is for viewers. How is he going to play and what he's going to do is have a back four that's not going to go too far. They're not going to be coming out of their slots like we've seen under previous managers. The midfield is vitally important. Warsaw is just going to sit in that hole, protect the ball into Holland, make sure he can help those centre-backs defend. Weston McKinney and Rocca will stay tight to his shoulders, they won't go too far. Harrison and Ianto, they oftentimes, under previous managers, will come inside. Sam Allardyce wants them to run in straight lines, down the end line, get balls into the box and put them under pressure. In seven games. So a cruel mismatch as Manchester City trample all beneath them en route to further glory. Or have Big Sam, the epitome of stubbornness and football's everlasting lack of logic, got a crazy twist in mind here. Two clubs who aspire to ending the season precisely where they are now. City at the very top and leads a fraction outside of the bottom three. City wins, nine unbeaten in all competitions, 13 straight wins. And here is Holland! It's a very good block by Joel Robles. That's a great save. Really good save by Robles, pulled into action really for the first time in this game. Rasmus Christensen's just turned round to Robles and applauded him, delighted with his contribution. I just wonder whether this took a slight deflection of Weston McKennie into the path of Holland. I think it did. And he's so clinical from these areas, but he stands tall, he doesn't commit himself too early. And you have to say that's a smart save from Joel Robles. De Bruyne. Steered out for Mahrez, who's left Junior Firpo behind. And sent it for Gundogan, who scores the smoothest of City goals. Once more immaculate in the moment. There is precious little that he or anyone can concoct to stand in the way of such precision. It's calm, it's composed, it's making sure that you pick the right pass. This ball from De Bruyne is magnificent. But Junior Firpo, he knows Mahrez is right-footed, left-footed. He wants to come in on the inside, show him down the line, make life difficult for him. Make it really uncomfortable. When you show him in like that, it just opens up the pitch. No one gets close to Gundogan. Lovely finish, just bends it round the outside of the defenders. And Joel Robles, this time, doesn't stand a chance. I said Manchester City have been knocking. Now they've got the breakthrough. Gundogan. To Bruyne. Foden. Mahrez! Onto the roof. And actually the flag was up. I just wonder whether the flag went up for the run of Phil Foden. I think it is, at the top of the pitcher. Just dinks it into the back post and Mahrez then. I don't think he's going for goal. I think he's trying to pull it back across, but it doesn't happen. Well, Manchester City, they're enjoying themselves. And when they enjoy themselves, the football is magnificent to watch. When they enjoy themselves, the other lot don't. Gundogan, oh, that's delicious. Oh, my word, that was good. Wow. The movement, the execution of the passes. Sadly, the finish from the one that we thought would finish at the end. But the movement for de Bruyne here, the touch. And you're thinking he's just going to put it into that bottom corner. Was he under enough pressure just to put him off ever so slightly? Look at this from the magician Kevin de Bruyne. He just drags it ever so slightly. We'll give the credit to Rasmus Christensen, who gets across, who makes the angle tighter for him to put it into. He's furious. Lewis Harland. Mahrez. It is so creamy smooth. Irresistibly sweet. Delicious to taste. But for him, indigestible. It's almost a carbon copy of the first goal. Just a little bit further out. But it's the ball out to Mahrez. It's far too easy. Mahrez is onside. And as he plays it back, where's the marking? Where's the men getting close to him? Everyone stands off. And he fires it into that far corner. Robles again, hopeless. He can't get anywhere near it. He's just helpless, isn't he? Feet to the ground. Far too easy for Manchester City. And not for the first time on this ground this season, or in recent seasons. In by De Bruyne. Laporte, Harland against the front of the goal. And the flag's up. Wouldn't have counted. No, it wouldn't have counted. But you just wonder, is it going to be his day? Even from that opportunity, crashes it against the bar. But look at the ball from Kevin De Bruyne. They go a fraction too early. You don't have to. He'll put it there anyway. Laporte, who gets contact on it initially, and then into Harland, who's stretching ever so slightly, crashes it against the crossbar. Lewis, a boast. And again, by an inch or two. This time, not his day. No, it's not. But he gets in between the two centre-backs. Lovely ball from Rico Lewis, who's now playing left-back. Great turn from Harland. He knows exactly where the goal is. Snapshot. Just drags it ever so slightly. Wrong foot to the goalkeeper. But again, it's not his day so far. To the penalty area. Morris fizzled it. And Joe Robles just about embraced it on the line. How well did he do to hold on to it? He could have ricocheted. He could have took his eye off it. Follows the line of it perfectly well. And it's really good handling from Joe Robles. It looks so unorthodox, doesn't it? So uncomfortable for him. Positions. Foden, away from Ehling. Away from Aronson. Challenged by Stroup. Penalty. The first involvement of Pascal Stroup is a telling one. And not in the way he intended. Lovely balance and ability from Phil Foden. He just draws the tackle in with his speed. Oh, look at this. Sorry, Steven. The reason I applaud you here is because Erling Haaland picked up the ball and gave it to Ilkay Gundogan. Haaland, who's looking to smash every record in the book, proving himself once again entirely selfless and inviting the captain to complete what would be his first ever hat-trick. Let's face it, Haaland has six of them this year alone. Pass the ball on. Not the baton. Pass the ball on to your captain. Lovely touch from Haaland. It's because he knows he'll score another hatful in the next few games, Peter. Ilkay Gundogan has hit the post! And it is hacked away from in front of Haaland. And that hat-trick never happened. No, it doesn't. And Pep Guardiola, he's angry down at the bottom in front of us and a touchline. I think Robles has got this covered as well. I think he guesses the right way. I think if it goes in towards the goal on target, I think he saves it. That is a fascinating insight. Into personalities, humanity. Here's Rodrigo! Now then, there's a turning point. There is a moment that just might matter. And there is an enraged boss of Manchester City for whom what might have been a three-goal lead has turned into just a one-goal advantage with six minutes to play. Well, it seemed like a nice gesture at the time. What does it feel like now? Because Leeds United have just turned this game on its head. Lovely heading from Firpo. Kanji's not brave enough. Rodrigo, it falls to him. And in an instant, he gets it out of his feet, makes sure that he puts it into that far corner and he leaves Ederson helpless. Can't get anywhere near it. What a finish that is. And now we've got to finish the game. They've seen it out well. Manchester City win again and that is the bottom line. For once, it wasn't for sure. For once, there was uncertainty. For once, this place was just a little jittery. Sam Allardyce, the arch-purveyor of crisis football, came up with something for Leeds. And for a few nervy moments here, he frightened the defending champions. City had been purring in the first half. Gundogan, a couple of sumptuous goals from the edge of the penalty area had them in charge. But Leeds were not for surrendering. They showed great spirit. Rodrigo pounced five minutes out after Gundogan had hit the post from the penalty spot when Haaland, in the view of his boss, should have taken it. And there was jeopardy. There remains jeopardy for Leeds in the bottom four. For Manchester City, there is now four points of space at the very top. For more content from Original Series to live matches, head over to Peacock, and be sure to tune in for Premier League mornings every weekend on USA Network and on Peacock. We will see you over there.