Manchester City 3-2 Leeds United: Phil Foden nets late winner to spare Cityzens’ blushes against spirited Whites | OneFootball

Manchester City returned to winning ways after a 3-2 triumph over Leeds United in Saturday’s Premier League meeting.

Having won five of their six home league matches, Pep Guardiola’s men were huge favourites to get the job done against opponents who had been beaten in all but one of their six away league outings.

City needed just one minute to open the scoring as Phil Foden guided home Matheus Nunes’ cross from close range.

The hosts continued to pile on the pressure after going ahead and nearly doubled their advantage when Foden’s goal-bound effort was blocked.

Foden’s early strike seemed to whet his appetite, and he drew a fine save out of Lucas Perri in the 24th minute.

From the resulting corner, City further stamped their authority on proceedings as Josko Gvardiol turned home a rebound after Nico O’Reilly’s header was saved.

Leeds barely posed any attacking threat in the opening half hour of the contest, so they needed a change in fortunes if they were to get themselves back in the contest.

However, City looked the likelier of the two sides to grab the next goal, which would all but put the game to bed heading into its midway point.

Looking for a first league goal since the opening weekend, Tijjani Reijnders came close to scoring on two occasions, while Nico Gonzalez’s effort needed Perri to be at his best as the strike came through bodies.

With almost the last play of the half, O’Reilly fluffed a glorious chance to join in on the act, failing to get any purchase on his header from a Jeremy Doku delivery.

Gianluigi Donnarumma was a spectator for large spells of the first half, but his moment of uncertainty from a set-piece situation nearly allowed Leeds back into the contest after the break.

City proved to be architects of their own downfall once again, and they were duly punished by Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who wasted no time making an impact off the bench.

Scoring so early in the half reinvigorated Leeds, and City now had a game on their hands from a position of absolute comfort.

An already poor second half went from bad to worse for the home side in the 68th minute, courtesy of Lukas Nmecha’s leveller from the penalty spot after Donnarumma repelled his initial effort.

Relinquishing their advantage spurred City into action as they started to regain control.

Erling Braut Haaland had one of his quietest outings against his boyhood club, and his tame header two minutes from time summed up a tough afternoon.

On as a substitute with City pushing for a winner, Omar Marmoush called Perri into action, but he was up to the task.

City would have been relieved to see 10 minutes of stoppage time added on, although they only needed one to regain the lead.

Foden had endured a subdued second-half display until he fired his side ahead from inside the area to spark wild celebrations at the Etihad Stadium.

That proved to be the decisive moment of an enthralling affair at the end of which City now sit second in the Premier League table ahead of Chelsea’s heavyweight meeting against Arsenal tomorrow.