Premier League
Leeds United 0
Manchester City 1 (Semenyo 45+2’)
Leeds: Darlow (GK), Bogle (James 76’), Gudmundsson, Ampadu (C), Struijk, Rodon (Bijol 87’), Calvert-Lewin, Aaronson (Nmecha 65’), Stach, Justin (Piroe 87’), Gruev (Gnonto 75’). Subs not used: Perri (GK), Longstaff, Tanaka, Bornauw.
City: Donnarumma (GK), Dias, Marmoush (Savinho 68’), Cherki (Aké 88’), Guéhi, Rodri, Silva (C), Aït-Nouri, Nunes, O’Reilly (Reijnders 70’), Semenyo. Subs not used: Trafford (GK), Stones, Doku, González, Khusanov, Foden.
Venue: Elland Road
Attendance: 36,838
Referee: Peter Bankes
Booked: Donnarumma, Aït-Nouri, Savinho (City)
Leeds United fell to a narrow 1-0 defeat to Manchester City despite an impressive performance that saw them create several chances against Pep Guardiola’s title-chasers.
Ahead of the fixture, Leeds boss Daniel Farke named an unchanged eleven from the side that earned a well deserved point away to third placed Aston Villa thanks to Anton Stach’s stunning free-kick.
Back under the Elland Road lights on February’s final day, proceedings got underway with the home side pressing high and intently. From a turnover, Brenden Aaronson sprinted forward on the wing before playing a brilliant ball across to Dominic Calvert-Lewin but the striker’s shot flashed inches wide.
Again, the American advanced, playing an enticing ball through the middle but the Whites could not find the deciding touch.
From Pascal Struijk’s smart ball over the top, Calvert-Lewin raced into the box and held off Marc Guéhi but, once more, his sharply hit effort was just past the post. And from a bright passage of team play, James Justin picked up on the edge of the area and forced Gianluigi Donnarumma into a save.
Then, stealing the ball back, Jayden Bogle played the onrushing Aaronson in right in front of goal. The American’s shot was diverted behind by a Guéhi touch, though the referee gave a goal kick.
From a Stach set piece, Calvert-Lewin headed down but Justin could not divert the bouncing ball goalwards.
Aaronson, then bounding forward on the break, was thwarted by Donnarumma before, down the other end, Karl Darlow produced two big saves to deny Omar Marmoush and Nico O’Reilly.
But only seconds before the break, Antoine Semenyo opened the scoring for the visitors, bundling home from a Rayan Aït-Nouri cross.
HALF TIME: Leeds United 0-1 Manchester City
With play back underway, Stach and Bogle won the ball back before the former flashed it across to Calvert-Lewin, whose effort was charged down for a corner by Matheus Nunes.
After a tense, back-and-forth period, the game’s next chance fell to Marmoush at the back post from Rodri’s cross but the Egyptian international put it wide. Minutes later, it was Aït-Nouri to fire well past the post.
From Semenyo’s shot, Pascal Struijk did well to stick a leg out and, from the resulting corner, Darlow produced a world-class save to keep out Guéhi’s header.
Shortly afterwards, up stepped Ethan Ampadu to a long throw which Rúben Dias headed briefly clear before Wilfried Gnonto twice flashed tantalizing crosses into the box yet the visitors survived.
Following a period of fierce sustained pressure, it was Daniel James’ turn to earn a corner with a whipped-in cross but from the resulting set-piece, Jaka Bijol’s header bounced wide.
Leeds continued to throw everything forward before the full-time whistle sounded. Attentions now quickly turn to the visit of fellow promoted side Sunderland on Tuesday evening.
FULL TIME: Leeds United 0-1 Manchester City
