Haaland late show sends Man City top, Leeds win thriller

Erling Haaland’s goal propelled Manchester City to the top of the Premier League standings as the defending champions rallied from a red card to Joao Cancelo’s dismissal to clinch a last-gasp 2-1 win against Fulham. On the same day, Leeds staged an impressive comeback to defeat Bournemouth 4-3. At the Etihad Stadium, Pep Guardiola’s team took the lead thanks to a goal scored by Julian Alvarez in the first half.

Before halftime, Andreas Pereira scored a penalty kick for Fulham after City left back Cancelo was sent off for committing a foul on Harry Wilson. The foul resulted in a penalty kick being awarded, and Cancelo was given his marching orders. After missing City’s previous two matches due to illness and a foot problem, Haaland once again emerged as the team’s savior in this one.

Haaland scored a stoppage-time penalty to notch his 23rd goal in 16 competitive appearances for City since his offseason move from Borussia Dortmund. Haaland came into the game as a substitute and scored the penalty. City’s seventh consecutive home league win lifted them one point above previous leaders Arsenal, who can go back to the top of the table with a win at London rivals Chelsea on Sunday. City’s win also lifted them one point above Tottenham Hotspur, who have won six of their last seven home league games.

After 17 minutes of play, Alvarez got things started for his team by racing onto a beautiful through ball played by Ilkay Gundogan and unleashing a powerful shot that went in off the underside of the crossbar. But 11 minutes later, Cancelo knocked Wilson off the ball as the Fulham winger was breaking through on goal, and the goal was disallowed. Darren England brandished a red card, and the penalty kick taken by Fulham midfielder Pereira, who had previously played for City’s fiercest rivals Manchester United, caused Ederson to make the incorrect save. But when Haaland entered the game with half an hour remaining, the tide completely shifted in City’s favor.

Because Antonee Robinson fouled Kevin De Bruyne in the 90th minute, Norway’s striker Haaland was awarded a penalty kick, which he converted by shooting the ball past Bernd Leno. At Elland Road, Leeds came back from being down 3-1 thanks to a stellar performance by Crysencio Summerville. Summerville scored the game-winning goal for Leeds in their stunning victory away at Liverpool a week ago, and he followed it up with another crucial goal that clinched consecutive victories for Jesse Marsch’s side.