Match Recap: Leeds United 1-1 Manchester City

Leeds United earned a valuable point against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, with Rodrigo Moreno scoring the equaliser at the Kop end.

City started on the front foot, relentlessly attacking the Leeds box as De Bruyne was first to cause worry at Leeds’ defensive end. His deep freekick from the left caught out the keeper who was saved by the near post.

The away side kept pushing and had a couple decent chances before Leeds broke out into City’s half, as some nice build-up play ended up with Ayling flighting the ball onto the head of Alioski at the back post whose header was skewed high and wide.

City came closer as the ball spun out from the box into the path of Torres, whose shot on goal was well blocked by Dallas on the line. But the clean sheet wouldn’t last long as Ferran Torres found Sterling on the left side, who cut onto his right foot and whipped one round the far post to open the scoring with a sublime finish.

After the goal, City gradually layed-off the Leeds play-out which allowed the home side to attack the Hunter end more and get the City defence under pressure. Roberts found Dallas incoming from the left channel with an excellent reverse pass, before Kyle Walker showed his experience in getting his body across Dallas’ and his off-balance shot was well saved.

Just before half-time Leeds came even closer when Cooper’s freekick caught-out Mendy on the left, who couldn’t get the ball under his spell with Ayling pushing to pressurise the Frenchman. Ayling took the loose ball in his stride, evading a sliding challenge as he cut inside onto his left before Ederson pulled-off a great save to deny the Leeds number two.

Leeds came out flying in the second half, as Poveda and Rodrigo were both subbed-on by minute 55. On minute 56, Rodrigo hit a deflected shot off the crossbar as his warning shot clearly rattled the City defence.

From the resulting corner, Ederson came to punch but the ball came off the back of Mendy, opening the room for Rodrigo to spin onto his left and tuck the ball home as Leeds earned themselves an equaliser with half an hour to go.

Rodrigo hit the crossbar again as Ayling’s cross dipped perfectly onto the head of the Spaniard, whose header was brilliantly tipped onto the crossbar by Ederson between the sticks.

With ten minutes left City started to get more aggressive, with the urgency in their play pinning Leeds’ midfield deeper and deeper. De Bruyne, Fernandinho and Sterling had dangerous efforts, but not enough to beat Meslier in the Leeds goal as The Whites came away with a point.

Having won seven points from the first available 12, Leeds break with the Premier League for two weeks for crucial international matches before looking ahead to their. next game against Wolves.