Leeds 0-1 Manchester City: Semenyo 45+1
In an evening when they had to play without their top goalscorer, this was always about the win for Manchester City and nothing more. And win they did at Elland Road.
It was far from vintage but job done for Pep Guardiola’s team. A goal from Antoine Semenyo just before half-time was enough to secure a gritty 1-0 victory over a spirited Leeds United, trimming the gap to Premier League leaders Arsenal to just two points and cranking up the pressure in the title race.
In the absence of Erling Haaland, who tops the Premier League’s scorers charts, it was fitting that City’s match-winner was the league’s third-highest goalscorer. Semenyo continued his remarkable form since his January arrival when he slid home the only goal of the game in first-half stoppage time.
Your battling Blues 💪🛡️ pic.twitter.com/N5si1r2JP0
— Manchester City (@ManCity) February 28, 2026
For much of the first half, City had possession but struggled to create, while the in-form Leeds waited for their moments to strike. Dominic Calvert-Lewin squandered his side’s best chance to open the scoring, skewing wide from Brenden Aaronson’s inviting cross
Rodri was guilty of surrendering possession on the halfway line, an error that would have been duly punished had Gianluigi Donnarumma not been alert to deny Aaronson. Leeds continued to probe, with Calvert-Lewin and James Justin both going close, while City’s forwards were largely limited to scraps.
The breakthrough came in added time of first half. Rayan Cherki, anonymous until that point, hit a perfectly weighted pass to Rayan Ait-Nouri, whose low cross was turned in at the near post by Semenyo.
City expertly managed the game in the second period. Chances dried up for both sides in a scrappy, niggly affair. It wasn’t until the 72nd minute that Leeds goalkeeper Karl Darlow was finally called into serious action, palming away a powerful header from Marc Guehi.
Pushing for something, anything, Leeds boss Daniel Farke introduced Daniel James and Wilfried Gnonto for the final quarter of an hour. They couldn’t find a way through.
