THE NOTEBOOK: Haaland draws a blank and a rollicking and Walker follows ‘one game at a time’ mantra

Manchester City went four points ahead of Arsenal at the top of the Premier League on Saturday, beating Leeds United 2-1 with a pair of near-identical goals from Ilkay Gundogan to extend their winning streak to 10 games.

City’s prolific striker Erling Haaland gracefully handed the ball to Gundogan to take a penalty in the 84th minute for what would have been a hat-trick, but his effort rebounded off the post.

City had been running circles around Leeds with numerous excellent scoring opportunities before Gundogan struck from the edge of the 18-yard block on a pass from Riyad Mahrez in the 19th minute. Mahrez put Gundogan down again eight minutes later in a copy of his first goal.

Rodrigo Moreno pulled one back for Leeds in the 85th minute.

Mail Sport’s RICHARD TANNER takes a look at some of the things you may have missed.

Haaland draws a rare blank

Erling Haaland had a frustrating afternoon, playing a rare blank and earning a splurge from Pep Guardiola.

In sporting fashion, Haaland gave the chance to increase his score by passing penalties to Ilkay Gundogan, who had the chance to complete his hat-trick.

But the City captain smashed his effort against the post – and Haaland was angrily reprimanded by Guardiola for not taking the ball, especially when Leeds pulled one back moments later to give the leaders an anxious final few minutes.

Haaland may have set a new record for a Premier League campaign with 35 goals. He still has a bit of work to do to match Jimmy Greaves’ post-World War II record of 41 league goals in a top-flight season.

The legendary Greaves hit an incredible 41 for Chelsea in the 1960-61 season. In fact, he appears three times in the top eight list. He also scored 37 for Tottenham in 1962-63 and 35 for the North London club the following season.

Walker follows ‘one game at a time’ mantra

Kyle Walker hasn’t had the easiest of seasons.

An injury early in the season almost cost the defender the chance to play for England at the World Cup in Qatar.

And in recent months he has been in and out of the City team with Pep Guardiola, also using the youngster Rico Lewis, John Stones, Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji in the right-back slot.

Guardiola went so far as to say that Walker couldn’t play the ‘reverse’ right-back role in which he has used Stones and Lewis so successfully.

Lewis was the starter of choice against Leeds, but in an interview on the match schedule, Walker is clearly in no mood to rock the boat with public complaints.

“I’ve been around the block,” he said. When I signed for Tottenham [from Sheffield United] there were seven right backs in front of me so I like a challenge.

“If the manager doesn’t think my performance is up to par then I shouldn’t be playing because we play at a fantastic club and you know everyone who comes in will perform.”

“At other clubs it’s probably 12 or 13 players [in contention for first team starts] but here everyone is so good. Defending one against one is what I bring to the team.”

With the prospect of City matching the 1999 Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League treble as neighbors to Manchester United, Walker is closing in. Walker follows the familiar but understandable “one game at a time” mantra.

“This is what you live for as a footballer: to compete at the highest level,” he said. “I’m not even concentrating on the high notes. It’s just the next game. We have big visions and ambitions, but we have to play match by match. Every game is a cup final and we have to make sure the players don’t have a bad day.’

Watch out for triple destroyers

As the rumors of the treble intensify, Manchester City will no doubt take note that their neighbors United – apart from achieving the treble themselves in the 1998-99 season – also betrayed both Merseyside clubs’ treble trophy hopes at the time have destroyed.

In 1977 they stopped Liverpool from adding the FA Cup to the League and Bob Paisley’s side won the European Cup that season.

And in 1985 they did the same with Howard Kendall’s Everton, who had won the league title and the European Cup Winners’ Cup.

Allardyce makes a big early call

Goalkeeper Joel Robles arrived for his first Premier League appearance for Leeds on Saturday

A big early call from Sam Allardyce to drop goalkeeper Illan Meslier, who has been ever-present in Leeds’ goal this season but has been guilty of a few mistakes in recent weeks.

Wigan and Everton goalkeeper Joel Robles came for his first Premier League appearance for Leeds and did well enough to suggest he will keep his place for the last three games.

Meslier was one of four changes Big Sam made from the team losing 4-1 to Bournemouth in Javi Gracia’s final game in charge

The others saw Junior Firpo and Max Wober come into defense and Adam Forshaw return to midfield. Robin Koch, Liam Cooper and Crysencio Summerville were the field players who made way.