Manchester City’s need to win here was certainly greater than that of Leeds’, but it was the hosts who started on the offensive.
A huge chance couldn’t have fallen the way of a better person than Dominic Calvert-Lewin, as he was left unmarked in the area to sweep home Brenden Aaronson’s delivery, but he got his left-footed effort horribly wrong and skewed well wide of the post.
He then had a swift opportunity for redemption when he snuck into the area, only to drag another left-footed effort almost across the goal line and out for a goal kick.
Chances continued to come and go for Leeds as City struggled to get a foothold in the game, with Aaronson going mightily close when he darted across the near post and saw his goalbound flick heroically blocked by Marc Guehi.
Indeed, it took City 39 minutes to force Karl Darlow into any kind of action, and after routinely thwarting Omar Marmoush, he was forced to beat away Nico O’Reilly’s header from just six yards out.
But City managed to garner some momentum just before half-time, and took the lead somewhat against the run of play, when Antoine Semenyo freed himself in the area to turn home Rayan Ait-Nouri’s cross in first-half stoppage time.
As they did in the first half, Leeds emerged from the dressing room with a sense of purpose. And again it was Calvert-Lewin doing most of the menacing, as he was left unmarked at the far post, only for a last-ditch Matheus Nunes block to deny him an equaliser.
City were far from at their fluent best, but ought to have doubled their advantage just after the hour mark, when Ruben Dias’ miscued strike fell kindly for Omar Marmoush at the far post, but even at full stretch, he could only prod an effort wide of the far post.
The Citizens came even closer 10 minutes later through Guéhi, whose goal-bound header was clawed off the line by Darlow. That provoked an attack-minded double change from Daniel Farke 15 minutes from time.
His gamble gave Leeds a platform to get back into the game, but despite applying some serious pressure on Gianluigi Donnarumma’s goal, they were unable to find a breakthrough.
Tonight’s result sees City close the gap on league leaders Arsenal to just two points, while Leeds remain six points clear of the bottom three.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Rayan Ait-Nouri (Man City)
