Manchester City look to exploit struggling Leeds United after consecutive defeats | OneFootball

Manchester City head into the weekend knowing they cannot afford to let their inconsistency deepen after back-to-back defeats in the Premier League and Europe.

Pep Guardiola’s side were beaten by Newcastle United last weekend and followed that with a blunt performance in midweek against Bayer Leverkusen, which exposed the risks of broad rotation and left the hosts searching for stability.

City slipped further behind the leading pack after those results and they are aware that another setback could tighten the pressure in a league where the teams around them are proving difficult to shake off.

Guardiola accepted that the scale of changes he made in the Champions League contributed to a disjointed display, but the bigger concern is that the dip in rhythm has now stretched across two matches at a point in the season when momentum is crucial.

Saturday’s meeting with Leeds United at the Etihad Stadium therefore arrives as a timely chance to reset and regain control of their campaign.

City have dominated this fixture in recent years and have scored 16 goals across their last four league meetings with Leeds, which underlines the opportunity to restore confidence against a struggling opponent.

They have also been reliable at home this season and are chasing a sixth straight league win at the Etihad by a margin of at least two goals.

Leeds travel south in poor form after losing five of their last six Premier League matches and sliding into the relegation zone.

Daniel Farke’s side have shown early-goal threat but little sustained control, and their defensive issues have worsened during a run in which they have conceded at least once in nine straight league outings.

They have also taken heavy hits against several top-half opponents, which places added strain on a squad entering a daunting schedule that includes City, Chelsea and Liverpool in successive weeks.

Their away record at the Etihad offers little encouragement and they have lost their last two league visits without serious resistance.

City will nevertheless be wary of Leeds’ ability to score early, although the hosts are expected to dictate the match from the opening whistle.

Guardiola will want a sharper, more secure display after a week that exposed weaknesses rather than the dominance usually associated with his side.

A convincing performance and a return to winning ways would steady their season and halt the slide before it becomes a more serious threat in an increasingly competitive Premier League table.