Former Kenya international Boniface Ambani has explained what distinguishes Manchester City from the rest of the Premier League sides.
The 39-year-old made the observation after Pep Guardiola’s men put seven goals past Leeds United in a Tuesday encounter.
The win, obtained in a dominant manner at the Etihad Stadium, saw the Citizens record their seventh consecutive Premier League victory – the longest ongoing winning run of all sides in the competition – that keeps them at the top of the table at 41 points, four more than Liverpool in the second place.
“Man City’s discipline in both transitions, from defending to attacking and attacking to defending, is what most teams lack,” Ambani wrote o his Facebook page.
“Their ruthless behaviour in the final third has actually given them an edge over most teams; they are very clinical. Speedwork is always key in football. Speed to attack as well as speed to defend.
“So much to learn. Six different players scored the goals. It shows the level of competition in the team. Leeds [were] reduced to toddlers.”
The home game also gave Riyad Mahrez an opportunity to register a career milestone as he now both scored (10) and has been directly involved in (13 – 10 goals and three assists) more goals in all competitions for the Citizens this season than any of his teammates.
The Algerian has now scored on his 100th Premier League appearance for both Leicester City and his current club, the only player in the competition’s history to score on his 100th match for two different sides.
While this was Manchester City’s joint-second largest-ever top-flight league win, behind only their 8-0 victory over Watford in September 2019, Leeds United suffered the joint-heaviest defeat in their history as a Football League/Premier League club in all competitions, alongside seven-goal defeats to Stoke (1-8 in August 1934), West Ham (0-7 in November 1966) and Arsenal (0-7 in September 1979).
It was also the first time boss Marcelo Bielsa had conceded seven goals in a single match in his 568-game club management career.