Dominic Calvert-Lewin wows as 2/10 flop dismal – Leeds United player ratings vs Man City
Leeds United’s stunning fight-back from two goals down at Man City fell short as Phil Foden’s winner condemned the visitors to a 3-2 defeat.
Leeds made a catastrophic start as they were prised apart with ease down their left through Matheus Nunes and Foden was able to finish off the cross bar after one minute.
After a slight reaction the Whites went two down after 25 minutes, with Josko Gvardiol tapping in after Lucas Perri was beaten to the punch from a corner.
But half-time substitute Dominic Calvert-Lewin led a stirring fight-back pounced on a Nunes error minutes after the restart to restore the game as a contest, and suggest there may be some throws of fight in Daniel Farke’s sack-threatened Leeds reign yet.
The striker was then felled for a penalty midway through the half, with Lukas Nmecha scoring the rebound against his former side after Gianluigi Donnarumma had saved his spot kick.
But as a chaotic rearguard somehow held out into stoppage time a sloppy-misplaced pass from Ao Tanaka ended with Foden scoring a late, late winner.
Willy Gnonto makes awful return to starting XI
Leeds fans have been furiously calling for Brenden Aaronson to be dropped for Dan James or Willy Gnonto and finally got their wish in Manchester.
But the latter’s introduction might have had them feeling they should have been careful what they wished for after a dreadful 45 minutes until the winger was withdrawn at half time.
With James Justin seemingly instructed to stay narrow at left-back Gnonto left acres of space for Nunes down the flank to twice receive possession inside the first minute, the second time laying on the opener for Foden.
The same ball inside the Italian was played more than once through the rest of the half with far too much ease, with the visitors lucky not to be punished as a result.
Gnonto was also fortunate not to get himself sent off after just a quarter of an hour after kicking out at Tijjani Reijnders while on the turf, catching the Dutchman on the inside of the knee with his studs.
Peter Bankes somehow decided not to even book him, and VAR let it go, to the relief of Farke who will have been glad no more damage had been done by the break when he made changes.
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Calvert-Lewin leads final fightback for Farke
If Farke’s changes to the starting XI absolutely didn’t produce the response he badly needed at least his half-time changes certainly did.
The game looked out of reach already by the interval but Calvert-Lewin’s introduction alongside Jaka Bijol completely changed the complexion of things.
His goal was a just reward for taking the game to the City defence in the opening minutes of the half, with teammates also responding to his injection of purpose and suddenly producing enough threat to make the home side’s back line looked panicked.
That panic was epitomised by Gvardiol’s baffling, mistimed lunge after 65 minutes to take out Calvert-Lewin in the box as he bore down on goal from Jayden Bogle’s flick on.
Even in defence the centre-forward put in a vital shift thereafter but it wasn’t enough to hold out.
Former Everton man Calvert-Lewin has divided opinion since arriving at Elland Road but this was a reminder of what he can be, and threw his manager a lifeline in performance if not result.
Leeds United player ratings at Man City
Lucas Perri – 5
Jayden Bogle – 5
Joe Rodon – 6
Pascal Struijk – 5
James Justin (off for Gudmundsson ’69) – 6
Ao Tanaka (off for Aaronson ’92) – 6
Ethan Ampadu – 7
Ilia Gruev – 7
Dan James (off for Bijol ’46) – 5
Willy Gnonto (off for Calvert-Lewin ’46) – 2
Lukas Nmecha (off for Okafor ’81) – 6
Substitutions
Dominic Calvert-Lewin (on for Gnonto ’46) – 9 – Man of the Match
Jaka Bijol (on for James ’46) – 6
Gabriel Gudmundsson (on for Justin ’69) – 7
Noah Okafor (on for Nmecha ’81) – 5
Brenden Aaronson (on for Tanaka ’92) – 5
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