Gianluigi Donnarumma has kept Manchester City solid in a number of games but he set the tone for the team’s second-half collapse
Gianluigi Donnarumma struggled against Leeds
Some Manchester City players wanted a livelier Etihad in the 2-0 defeat to Leverkusen in midweek. There were gestures from a few calling for more noise, although Pep Guardiola would later say that if his stars want more volume they should earn it.
City wobbled so badly in the second half against Leeds from being two goals up that the ground was more alive than anybody but the 3,000 away fans wanted it to be. Guardiola’s side emerged with the three points after a 3-2 win, but it was anything but convincing to continue a rocky patch since the November international break.
It should have been better than Tuesday night, given Guardiola brought nine players back into the team. It certainly looked that way in no time, with Phil Foden steering in the opening goal after excellent work from Matheus Nunes on the right.
But Daniel Farke’s team looked there for the taking, so it spoke to how far City were from their best that they only went into the break two goals to the good. Josko Gvardiol bundled in a second from a corner, having sent a header from one the previous minute closer to the corner flag than the goal and Erling Haaland was quiet as his quest for 100 Premier League goals goes on.
It was at the other end where things really started to wobble. Gianluigi Donnarumma has made City much more solid since his deadline day arrival, making important saves against United, Brentford and several others to make City as intimidating at the back as they are up front.
There have been signs lately though of issues. At Bournemouth and Newcastle he was booked for protesting set-piece goals that were scored against him, suggesting to opposition sides that he could in fact be targeted.
As Leeds made two changes at half-time at the Etihad, Donnarumma was one of the first to wilt as he came to claim a fairly harmless free-kick and flapped, cutting a relieved figure as Ethan Ampadu’s shot past him was blocked.
Nunes was then at fault twice to allow Dominic Calvert-Lewin to get one back, playing him onside and then gifting the ball back to him with a better assist than he had made for Foden. Again though, a shaky pass from Donnarumma that evaded Nico O’Reilly and went out for a throw in in City’s third only encouraged a visiting team that had been down and out.
City were so rattled that they appeared to get Donnarumma to feign injury so that Guardiola could give everyone else a team talk, yet minutes later Leeds were level after a brainless challenge from Gvardiol in the box where it looked harder to get the man than the ball. The keeper did save Lukas Nmecha’s first effort, but the rebound popped up for the former City striker to score.
The problems did not end there for the team or for Donnarumma, as he picked up his fourth booking of the season in the Premier League to leave him one away from a suspension. But just when all hope was lost, 10 minutes of injury time was announced and Foden did what Foden can do to arrow a shot into the bottom corner.
Cue immense relief from the players and supporters, united again as they celebrated a win that they very nearly threw away. Everyone in Blue will know they will have to be much better if they are to be heard in North London.
