Leeds United 0-1 Man City Player Ratings: Antoine Semenyo's First-Half Strikes Secures Full Points for City | EPL

A high-intense afternoon at Elland Road ended in narrow defeat for Leeds United as Manchester City claimed a hard-earned 1-0 victory.

In a contest rich with tension and tactical discipline, chances were at a premium for much of the first half. Leeds matched their illustrious visitors stride for stride, pressing with energy and defending with resolve in front of a raucous home crowd.

The decisive moment arrived on the stroke of halftime. Rayan Aït-Nouri surged forward and delivered a teasing cross into the area, where Antoine Semenyo applied a clinical finish. It was a blow Leeds struggled to recover from.

The hosts fashioned opportunities of their own. Dominic Calvert-Lewin saw a golden chance go begging, while Brenden Aaronson was unable to convert when well placed. On another day, the outcome might have been different.

Yet such are the fine margins at the highest level. City, patient and composed, did just enough to secure three valuable points, leaving Leeds to reflect on a performance full of effort but short on reward.

Key Takeaways

1. Rayan Aït-Nouri delivered a precise cross just before halftime.
2. Antoine Semenyo finished clinically to give Manchester City the lead at Elland Road.
3. Dominic Calvert-Lewin missed a clear chance to equalise for Leeds United.

Man City Player Ratings vs Leeds United

Goalkeeper

Gianluigi Donnarumma - 7.0: He was solid when called upon. Made a couple of key saves, particularly one from a long-range effort that looked troublesome. We noticed he commanded his box well, coming for crosses and relieving pressure. The late yellow card for time-wasting showed just how tight the game was. A commanding presence between the sticks.

Defenders

Matheus Nunes - 8.5: What a performance. Our highest-rated player on the pitch. He was a constant outlet down the flank, creating four chances and looking dangerous every time he went forward. Defensively, he was just as impressive, winning the majority of his duels and showing great energy to track back. An outstanding all-around display that really caught our eye.

Rúben Dias - 7.5: A true defensive general. He seemed to be in the right place to make a clearance every single time Leeds threatened, racking up ten of them. His last-man tackle was a game-defining moment of pure class. He was dominant in the air and composed, a real leader at the back.

Marc Guéhi - 7.0: A very tidy and efficient performance. His passing was crisp and accurate, helping City build from the back under pressure. He had a great chance with a header that was well-saved, but his primary job was defending, and he did that admirably. A solid partner for Dias.

Rayan Aït-Nouri - 8.0: Simply sensational. The assist for the goal was a moment of pure quality, a perfectly weighted cross. What stood out to us was his defensive work; winning all eleven of his duels is an astonishing statistic. He was a whirlwind of energy, dribbling past players for fun. The late yellow card was the only small blemish on a near-perfect game.

Midfielders

Rodri - 7.5: The conductor of the orchestra. As usual, he controlled the game's tempo with his intelligent passing and positioning. He broke up play effectively and drew clever fouls to kill Leeds' momentum. His six clearances show how much defensive work he gets through. A typically imperious performance.

Rayan Cherki - 7.0: He was the creative spark, always looking to unlock the defense. Had over 100 touches, which shows just how involved he was in everything City did. He did lose the ball more than he would have liked, but his positive, forward-thinking approach was essential.

Bernardo Silva - 6.5: A surprisingly quiet game from the captain. He was neat and tidy in possession, recycling the ball effectively. However, he lacked his usual spark and influence in the final third. A professional job, but not the magical performance we often see from him.

Nico O'Reilly - 6.0: It was a frustrating afternoon for the youngster. He got into fantastic positions but missed two big chances that really should have been converted. His work rate couldn't be faulted, and he fought hard. Ultimately, his lack of composure in front of goal let him down before he was subbed off.

Forwards

Antoine Semenyo - 7.5: The match-winner. He showed great striker's instincts to be in the perfect spot to tap home the crucial goal. He was a constant pest for the defenders, although his timing was off as he was caught offside four times. In the end, his goal is all that matters, and he delivered.

Omar Marmoush - 6.5: A very lively but ultimately fruitless performance. He got into good areas and had four shots, but his finishing was wayward. He never stopped running and trying to make things happen. Just lacked that final bit of quality before being substituted.

Substitutes

Savinho (for Marmoush '68) - N/A: Came on but didn't have a major impact.

Tijjani Reijnders (for O'Reilly '70) - N/A: Brought on to shore up the midfield.

Nathan Aké (for Cherki '88) - N/A: A late change to see out the victory.

Manager

Josep Guardiola - 7.0: A classic Guardiola away performance. It wasn't always beautiful, but it was ruthlessly effective. His team controlled the ball and created just enough to deserve the win. His substitutions were pragmatic and helped secure the three points. Job done.

Leeds United Player Ratings vs Manchester City

Goalkeeper

Karl Darlow - 7.5: He was excellent and kept Leeds in the contest. Made four saves, with a brilliant double stop in the first half being the highlight. He couldn't do anything about the goal from point-blank range. A performance he can be proud of.

Defenders

Jayden Bogle - 6.0: Had a really tough assignment against City's fluid attack. He tried to get forward and did create a chance. However, he struggled defensively at times and was caught out of position. An average day at the office for him.

Joe Rodon - 6.0: A fairly quiet game for the centre-back. He was positionally sound for the most part and didn't make any glaring errors. He was part of a defensive unit that was only breached once by one of the league's best attacks.

Pascal Struijk - 6.5: A solid and composed display. He passed the ball well out from the back and made some important interceptions. He even created a chance for his teammates. A decent outing against top-quality opposition.

James Justin - 7.0: We were impressed by his performance. He was strong defensively, making five clearances and winning his tackles. What stood out was his confidence to get forward and test the keeper with a powerful shot. A really good shift.

Gabriel Gudmundsson - 6.0: A game of two halves for him. He was clever in drawing five fouls to win his team respite. On the other hand, he was very wasteful in possession and his shooting was erratic. Worked hard but the quality just wasn't there.

Midfielders

Ethan Ampadu - 5.5: A really difficult game for the captain. He recovered the ball 11 times, which is a great stat. But from our perspective, he was a liability on the ball, losing it 23 times and making an error that led to a shot. He battled hard but was simply outclassed in midfield.

Ilia Gruev - 5.0: The worst performer of the match. He was completely anonymous and struggled to get into the game at all. He lost his duels, gave away fouls, and offered nothing going forward. It was no surprise to see him substituted.

Anton Stach - 6.5: A very strange performance to rate. Going forward, he was Leeds' most creative player, creating four chances. Without the ball, he was a disaster, getting dribbled past a staggering seven times. An enigma.

Brenden Aaronson - 5.5: Incredibly frustrating to watch. He missed a huge chance that could have turned the game on its head. His energy is immense, but his final product was seriously lacking. A lot of huff and puff with very little end result.

Forwards

Dominic Calvert-Lewin - 6.0: He was isolated for large parts of the game but still managed to get four shots away. He'll have nightmares about the big chance he missed early on. He fought for everything and was a physical presence, but it wasn't his day.

Substitutes

Lukas Nmecha (for Aaronson '65) - N/A: Brought on for some fresh legs but didn't change the game.

Wilfried Gnonto (for Gruev '73) - N/A: Added some energy but couldn't find a breakthrough.

Daniel James (for Bogle '75) - N/A: A late roll of the dice.

Joël Piroe (for Justin '87) - N/A: Not enough time to make an impact.

Jaka Bijol (for Rodon '87) - N/A: Came on for the final minutes.

Manager

D. Farke - 6.5: He can be proud of his team's effort. He set them up to be resilient and to try and hit City on the counter. The plan almost worked, but his players' wastefulness in front of goal cost them a result. A battling performance against a far superior team.