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Title now very safe for Man City: Solskjaer

Man United's draw with Leeds opens door for Man City to win EPL this weekend

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer conceded that local rivals Manchester City are now "very safe" bets to lift the English Premier League title, after his side were held to a 0-0 draw by Leeds United at Elland Road last night.

City can seal their third EPL title in four seasons this weekend if they beat Crystal Palace on Saturday and Manchester United lose to Liverpool at Old Trafford on Sunday.

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Solskjaer told the BBC: "We have to win every single game to put pressure on City. This is two points dropped that makes them very safe.

"But we push on. We have two semis coming up and Liverpool in the middle. It was a difficult week last week but it is the business end of the season... every game matters."

AS Roma visit Old Trafford for the first leg of their Europa League semi-final on Friday morning (Singapore time) and perhaps that played on Solskjaer's mind as he waited till the 76th and 86th minute to bring on Paul Pogba and Edinson Cavani respectively, despite his side's struggles to break Leeds down.

The Norwegian remained positive despite the result, saying: "I thought we played well, dominated the second half, just didn't have the ball fall correctly for us in the moments we had.

"When two teams meet, you create problems, you solve problems, they give you things to think about and we made them adjust to us...

"I have seen Leeds run over teams in the second half and it was the opposite...

"Second half today we had 60 per cent (possession).

"Leeds can steamroller teams with their fitness but my team showed their fitness.

"We created two or three big moments and we could have scored."

FEW CHANCES

Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier did well to keep out a thunderous Marcus Rashford free-kick shortly before half-time while Bruno Fernandes dragged his shot wide after being set up by Aaron Wan-Bissaka shortly before the hour mark.

Leeds, promoted this season to the top flight after a 16-year absence, have certainly shown no respect for the so-called "Big Six" - Marcelo Bielsa's side have drawn all five home games they have played against members of that elite group.

Said Bielsa: "We defended well. We couldn't attack how we wanted to. Even if we didn't dominate, we avoided the game becoming unbalanced. There are signs of evolution."

In the latest protest against the Big Six's botched attempt to join a Super League with six of their La Liga and Serie A contemporaries, a banner reading "£2bn stolen #Glazers out" was flown over Leeds' ground before kick-off, in reference to United's unpopular owners.

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