Antoine Semenyo scored just before half-time as title-chasing Manchester City moved two points behind leaders Arsenal at the top of the Premier League with victory at Leeds United.
Leeds, as they have done recently, battled hard and it appeared early on that City were not going to run them over.
But for a team chasing the title, any victory, no matter how hard, is a welcome development.
Elland Road erupted when Leeds almost took the lead in the opening exchanges, but Dominic Calvert-Lewin spurned a golden chance, signalling a bad omen.
For all their energetic display, Leeds United fell to the lone goal, which saw City narrow Arsenal’s lead to two points at the top of the Premier League.
City travelled to West Yorkshire without their Leeds-born star striker Erling Haaland, who was injured in training, and it looked for large periods in the first half that they would rue not having their top goalscorer available.
But Ghana international Semenyo stretched to convert Rayan Ait-Nouri’s fizzed low ball into the penalty area for his sixth City goal since joining from Bournemouth in January.
Leeds manager Daniel Farke was sent off by referee Peter Bankes after the match, as the German charged over to the referee, angrily wagging his finger in the official’s direction.
City coach Pep Guardiola approached Farke to calm him down, and the Catalan also played peacemaker during angry exchanges between both sets of players, with Jayden Bogle clashing with Bernardo Silva before being restrained.
Farke shook hands with Guardiola in the dugout, then made his way towards the centre circle to speak to Bankes.
But the referee was reaching for his pocket to produce the red card even before the 49-year-old Leeds manager got near him.
Farke made his frustrations towards Bankes clear after being dismissed, as the home side’s goalkeeper, Karl Darlow, tried to put distance between the two.
Guardiola then made his way onto the pitch to have a word with his counterpart.
