Pep Guardiola denied his nominated penalty taker, Erling Haaland, was unprofessional in allowing Ilkay Gündogan to take a late spot-kick he then missed but the manager did criticise the German for his actions in Manchester City’s 2-1 win over Leeds.
Victory took the defending champions four points ahead of Arsenal with four matches left, but City endured a more difficult end to the game after Gündogan hit a post from the spot. Haaland had handed the ball to the midfielder, who had scored City’s two goals, to allow him to secure a hat-trick. Immediately after the miss, Guardiola strode to the touchline and shouted to Haaland: “You have to take it.”
