Full match report on the chaotic 3-2 victory for Manchester City over Leeds United today (Nov 29, 2025). Read about Phil Foden's brace, the Leeds second-half fightback, and how City's nervy win impacts the title race.
Relief and Redemption: Man City Edges Leeds 3-2 in a Second-Half Scare
The Etihad Stadium was the scene of extraordinary drama today (Saturday, November 29, 2025), as Manchester City claimed a vital three points against a resilient Leeds United side, but only after nearly squandering a comfortable lead.
The final whistle confirmed a 3-2 victory for Pep Guardiola's men, but the scoreline tells only part of the story. This was a match defined by two distinct halves: a dominant City procession followed by a chaotic, spirited comeback from the visitors that was only halted by a moment of individual brilliance in stoppage time.
Having suffered two consecutive defeats—to Newcastle United and Bayer Leverkusen—this was a must-win fixture for the reigning champions to keep pace with league leaders Arsenal. They got the win, but they certainly did not get the comfort.
The First Half: A Routine City Blitz
Manchester City burst out of the blocks, setting the tone with the fastest Premier League goal of the season after just 59 seconds.
It was the main man of the hour, Phil Foden, who delivered the early knockout blow. A crisp, sharp move down the right saw Matheus Nunes create space before Foden arrived in the box to crash his finish off the crossbar and in.
The goal settled the nerves and the relentless pressure soon yielded a second. Midway through the half, Josko Gvardiol bundled home from a corner routine after a knockdown in the six-yard box. At 2-0 after 25 minutes, with City dominating possession, the match looked like a standard training exercise for the Sky Blues. The only missing piece was a goal for Erling Haaland, who remained curiously quiet, leaving the stage set for an unexpected star.
Leeds’ Stunning Second-Half Comeback
Whatever Daniel Farke said to his Leeds players at halftime worked. The visitors emerged from the tunnel transformed, making two key substitutions—including the introduction of striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin—that injected urgency and direction into their play.
The reward came quickly.
A Lifeline (49th Minute): Minutes after the restart, Matheus Nunes's slack touch gifted the ball back to Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who pounced on the mistake and tucked the ball low past Gianluigi Donnarumma. The score was 2-1, and the away end erupted.
The Equaliser (68th Minute): The match turned on its head when Gvardiol brought down the revitalised Calvert-Lewin in the box for a clear penalty. Lukas Nmecha saw his initial spot-kick expertly saved by Donnarumma, but the former City academy product reacted quickest, smashing the rebound into the unguarded net.
The 2-2 scoreline was a testament to Leeds' fighting spirit, but for City fans, it was a sudden, sickening collapse that threatened to derail their title momentum. With 20 minutes left, the champions looked rattled, with Leeds suddenly pushing for an improbable winner.
Foden, The Hero: A Stoppage Time Rescue
As the clock ticked into the long stretch of injury time—a whopping ten added minutes—the anxiety at the Etihad was palpable. City was desperate, throwing players forward, but Leeds was holding firm, defending their hard-won point.
Then, in the 90+1st minute, Phil Foden stepped up again.
Substitute Rayan Cherki slid a simple ball into Foden on the edge of the box. Foden created a fraction of space with a clever touch, looked up, and curled a sublime, low finish into the bottom-left corner of the net, just past the outstretched hand of goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
The roar that swept across the stadium was less one of triumph, and more a collective gasp of profound relief. Foden's brace, sandwiching the fastest goal of the season with the latest, proved to be the difference.
What This Chaotic Win Means for the Title Race
This was not a vintage Pep Guardiola performance, but it was perhaps the most crucial kind of win: a survival win.
The 3-2 scoreline pushes Manchester City back into second place in the Premier League table, narrowing the gap to Arsenal to four points ahead of the Gunners' major fixture against Chelsea on Sunday.
Guardiola will be concerned by the defensive errors from Nunes and Gvardiol that allowed Leeds back into the game, especially after a week marred by questions over the team's motivation. However, securing all three points after being dragged back from a 2-0 lead shows the champions still possess the character and, crucially, the individual genius of Phil Foden to overcome adversity.
For Leeds, the performance was a huge morale boost, even in defeat. Daniel Farke will know his side has the fight to survive, but they were ultimately undone by a moment of elite quality.
This dramatic Saturday fixture proves once again that in the Premier League title race, you must expect the unexpected, and you must fight until the very last second.
Key Stats & Scorers:
Final Score: Man City 3 - 2 Leeds United
Man City Goals: Phil Foden (1', 90+1'), Josko Gvardiol (25')
Leeds Goals: Dominic Calvert-Lewin (49'), Lukas Nmecha (68')
Star Man: Phil Foden, man of the match
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