Manchester City continued to blaze their way through the Premier League with exhilarating action as they were firing on all guns to pull off a truly scintillating magnificent seven performance to thoroughly rout Leeds United 7-0 and stay four points clear at the top of the Premier League. Kevin De Bruyne was instrumental in inspiring the 7-0 thrashing of Leeds just hours after clubs were given strict new measures to curb the threat of the coronavirus with the invasive Omicron variant on Tuesday.
De Bruyne powered the rout with an an imperious display while netting two goals on his first league start since November 6 after having recovered from Covid-19. Team-mates Jack Grealish, Phil Foden, Riyad Mahrez, John Stones and Nathan Ake were also on target as Pep Guardiola’s side took complete control at the Etihad Stadium and ran riot in a commanding display that clearly stamped their superiority.
This – being City’s seventh successive league victory – greatly increases the pressure on second- and third-placed Liverpool and Chelsea, who face Newcastle and Everton respectively on Thursday.
Incidentally, the reigning champions’ biggest win this season equalled Liverpool’s 1982 top-flight record of 33 victories in a calendar year.
“We’re proud of the way we’re playing. When you get these results it is because individually they are brilliant,” Guardiola said.
“Kevin, in these type of games when it is open up and down, is devastating as he can do what he wants. He’s so important for us,” he added.
Marcelo Bielsa was shell-shocked by this joint biggest league defeat in the club’s history and said: “We’ve never had a performance like this. There is no justification. I have to take responsibility.”
City launched off to a great start in the eighth minute when Foden’s shot was deflected in via Stuart Dallas’s fluffed attempt to clear off the line. This was City’s 500th Premier League goal in 207 matches under Guardiola, setting a new record that surpassed the previous fastest mark by Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool.
Grealish – who had until then managed just two goals for City since his British record £100 million ($132 million) transfer from Aston Villa – headed in Mahrez’s cross in the 13th minute to score for the first time since September.
Then came De Bruyne’s turn as he marked his return with his first goal since October, converting Rodri’s pass in the 32nd minute, after which Mahrez added City’s fourth in the 49th minute when his strike deflected in off Junior Firpo.
De Bruyne decisively made it City’s fifth in the 62nd minute with a whopper of a 20-yard drive into the roof of the net.
Stones next blasted home in the 74th minute with Ake putting in the finishing touch with a header four minutes later to complete the rout.
A truly magnificent seven beyond any doubts.
Now it’s only left to be seen whether City’s determined title defence can survive any immediate encounters with Covid-19 as the new Omicron strain rears it ugly head and threatens to wreak havoc.
The Premier League announced on Monday there had been 42 positive Covid cases among top-flight players and staff last week – the most recorded in any seven-day period since testing began during the 2019-20 season.
Let’s all pray that there won’t be a repeat of the football impasse and pandemic lockdown of the previous season that brought global football to a complete standstill.