Leeds came from two goals down againt Man City at the Eitihad Stadium on Saturday afternoon but still left empty-handed.
Richard Garnett Central Audience Sport Content Editor
17:56, 29 Nov 2025
Leeds United's Dominic Calvert-Lewin during the Premier League match against Manchester City at Etihad Stadium
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Leeds United's Dominic Calvert-Lewin during the Premier League match against Manchester City at Etihad Stadium(Image: Martin Rickett/PA Wire)
Leeds United may have left Manchester without any points this afternoon, but their pride remains intact after Daneil Farke's side fought back from two goals down at half-time to almost hang on for a point.
But it was not to be, as Phil Foden struck in injury time to hand the hosts all three points and move them up to second in the table. Defeat for Leeds was their fourth on the spin and leaves them in the relegation zone, but there were plenty of positives to pick out of the performance.
Here, Leeds Live summarises the key details of an enthralling encounter:
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Heading into the game, there was significant pressure on Leeds United manager Daniel Farke due to the team's poor form, having suffered five defeats in their last six matches. The general expectation was for Leeds to lose, making a resilient performance essential to secure Farke's position and avoid a major defeat.
Leeds faced challenges before kick-off, as they were without two key midfield starters, Anton Stach and Sean Longstaff, forcing Daniel Farke to implement five changes to his line-up. This necessitated a significant tactical shake-up, including completely altering the left-hand flank to compensate for the enforced absences.
Manchester City quickly asserted their dominance, with Phil Foden scoring an early goal in just the second minute of the match. The hosts continued to control the play throughout the first half, extending their lead to 2-0 when Josko Gvardiol slotted home from a corner in the 25th minute.
Throughout the first half, Leeds United struggled to break down City's defence and lacked any real substance in the final third of the pitch. At the half-time whistle, the team's only consolation was that they were only two goals down, having been easily dissected by City's attack.
Manager Farke made effective and decisive tactical changes at the break, bringing on Calvert-Lewin and Bijol to switch the team into a more aggressive formation. Following these adjustments, Leeds emerged for the second half looking like a dramatically different side, pressing and harrying the hosts more effectively.
This immediate change in energy quickly resulted in a goal shortly after the restart, with Calvert-Lewin scoring in the 48th minute to reduce the deficit. The goal survived a VAR check for offside, injecting crucial belief into the team and rousing the travelling supporters.
Leeds completed a stunning comeback in the 68th minute when they were awarded a penalty, which Lukas Nmecha ultimately converted on the rebound to level the score at 2-2. This highlighted the team's immense fighting spirit and resilience to battle back against one of the league's top sides.
Despite their impressive fightback, Manchester City delivered a devastating blow in the final moments of the game, with Phil Foden scoring the late winner in the 90th minute. Although the loss was heartbreaking, the performance was deemed positive, with the result likely buying Daniel Farke valuable time.