. City expedite current business

Three days before his semi-final first leg of the Champions League against Real Madrid, the defending champion has done the minimum union against a limited Leeds.

With 82 points, City are four points ahead of the Gunners (2nd), while both teams have played the same number of games.

But the Londoners will have to bring back something from their trip to Newacastle (3rd), and preferably the three points, to continue to believe in their chance of coronation.

Manchester City's Belgian striker Kevin De Bruyne (l) edges Leeds' Spanish defender Junior Firpo on May 6, 2023 in Manchester © Lindsey Parnaby / AFP

The arrival on the Leeds bench of the expert "maintenance operation", the very experienced Sam Allardyce, did not allow a miracle for the 17th in the table.

More than the decision to relegate French starting goalkeeper Illan Meslier to the bench to start Joel Robles, it is the much more cautious play deployed by the Peacocks that explains the semblance of defensive solidity found.

Despite Pep Guardiola's big rotation for C1 -- Kevin de Bruyne and Erling Haaland still played 90 minutes -- and an opposing goal late in the game, the game was one-sided.

A little clumsy and unlucky, the Norwegian remained silent, but it was the good soldier Ilkay Gündogan, out of contract this summer after seven seasons at the club, who made the difference.

The two goals were very similar, with centres back at ground level from Riyad Mahrez taken over by the German to place the ball once to the right of the goal (1-0, 19th) and once to the left (2-0, 27th).

At the end of the match, Haaland faded in front of Gündogan to let him take a penalty. Bad inspiration since the midfielder found the post (84th).

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland (r) in front of Leeds defender Rasmus Kristensen, on May 6, 2023 in Manchester © Lindsey Parnaby / AFP

To make matters worse, on the next action and on one of Leeds' rare forays into the opposing camp, the visitors reduced the score by the Spaniard Rodrigo (2-1, 85th).

It remains an uneventful victory for Manchester City who dream of emulating the treble achieved by United in 1999 by winning league, FA Cup and C1.

. Tottenham hang on, Aston Villa drop out

Behind City and Arsenal, Tottenham has gone back to the front in the race for Europe by beating Crystal Palace (1-0), while Aston Villa seems to stall at the worst time with a second defeat in a row, at Wolverhampton (1-0).

A goal from Harry Kane's header, in added time of the first half, allowed the striker to surpass Wayne Rooney in the number of goals scored in the Premier League, with 209 goals against 208, leaving only Alan Shearer (260) ahead of him.

Tottenham captain and goalscorer Harry Kane just scored against Crystal Palace on May 6, 2023 in London © ISABEL INFANTES / AFP

It allows Spurs, who had taken only one point from their last four games, to regain 6th place at Brighton with 57 points against 55, but with already three more games on the clock.

As for Unai Emery's team, Aston Villa, already beaten 1-0 by Manchester United a week ago, they remain 8th with 54 units.

A little lower in the table, Chelsea won their first game under Frank Lampard by winning (3-1) at Bournemouth, with an assist from N'Golo Kanté on the opening score of Conor Gallagher (0-1, 9th) and the first English goal of Benoït Badiashile to give the advantage to the Blues (1-2, 82nd) who point to the 11th place.

© 2023 AFP