Man City simple improvement is proving key to keeping ahead of Liverpool FC

Dead balls kill off Leeds

Pep Guardiola insists that his football is simple and one of Manchester City's most magnificent improvements this season has been their revolution from set pieces. Once their weakest part of the game, they are now leading the league in that department - and on course to win the trophy as a result.

A trip to Leeds had the hallmarks of being a banana skin in the race for silverware, and Liverpool watched on hopefully after navigating their way past Newcastle in the early kick-off to briefly go top of the table. There was nothing pretty about the reception the champions got at Elland Road, and they were made to suffer for large chunks of the first half.

That they were able to escape with the three points was largely due to their superiority from dead balls. They attacked them better than Leeds defended them, and they defended them better than Leeds attacked them, with the first two goals in the match coming from set-pieces.

Also read: Man City turn into Stoke City to dig out Leeds win and thwart Liverpool

Their 18 goals from set-pieces is two more than second-best Liverpool have managed, while they have conceded just one at the other end in those situations - three fewer than any other side. Football really can be a very simple game.

How deep is your squad?

Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva have been integral to City's success this season, so much so that at least one of them has started every league game following an opening-day loss to Spurs. Liverpool have strengthened their squad to the point where they can now boast deeper reserves than City, as shown in their FA Cup semi-final.

Leaving his two key midfielders out for such a must-win game at Leeds was another gamble from a manager that