In a breathtaking Premier League encounter at the Etihad Stadium, Phil Foden emerged as Manchester City’s savior with a stoppage-time winner, securing a turbulent 3-2 victory against a resilient Leeds United on Saturday. The match, characterized by dramatic momentum shifts, saw Pep Guardiola’s squad narrowly avoid a catastrophic collapse after surrendering a commanding two-goal advantage.
City’s initial dominance was unmistakable. Foden electrified the home crowd within the first minute, firing a precise strike off the crossbar following Matheus Nunes’ incisive run. Defender Josko Gvardiol appeared to solidify control in the 25th minute, tapping in from close range after Nico O’Reilly’s headed assist. A subsequent VAR review dismissed Leeds’ offside protests, validating the goal.
However, the match dynamics inverted dramatically after halftime. Substitute Dominic Calvert-Lewin capitalized on a defensive error from Nunes, slotting home in the 49th minute to initiate Leeds’ resurgence. The visitors stunned the stadium by drawing level in the 68th minute; though Gianluigi Donnarumma saved Lukas Nmecha’s penalty after a Gvardiol foul, Nmecha converted the rebound.
With Erling Haaland unusually quiet in his pursuit of a 100th league goal, Foden shouldered the responsibility in added time, expertly creating space in the box for a composed finish. This critical intervention propelled City to second place, narrowing the gap to league leaders Arsenal to four points ahead of their pivotal clash with Chelsea.
The victory provided essential redemption for Guardiola’s side following consecutive losses to Newcastle and Bayer Leverkusen—a midweek defeat that prompted the manager’s public criticism of his rotated squad’s effort. The return of stars like Haaland, Bernardo Silva, and Donnarumma proved decisive in securing three vital points.
In parallel Premier League action, Brentford’s Igor Thiago enhanced his scoring tally with a double in a 3-1 triumph over Burnley, while Sunderland staged a remarkable comeback from two goals down to defeat Bournemouth 3-2, climbing to fourth in the table.