THE SEMENYO EFFECT: HOW MAN CITY’S JANUARY SIGNING BECAME THEIR MOST CLINICAL FINISHER YET
No Haaland, no problem: Antoine Semenyo netted his sixth goal in 11 games as Manchester City piled pressure on the Gunners.
Antoine Semenyo’s first-half goal gave Manchester City a tough 1-0 win at Leeds, closing the gap to Premier League leaders Arsenal to just two points.
Semenyo has just kept scoring since he arrived from Bournemouth in January. Right before halftime, he finished off a rare chance with real composure – one shot, one goal – and that’s all City needed.
That’s four league wins in a row for City. Arsenal have to feel the pressure now before their match against Chelsea on Sunday. As for Leeds, they’ll be kicking themselves after wasting several good chances in the first half.
Daniel Farke’s side have only lost three of their last 15 league games, but this one stings – a rare defeat under the Elland Road lights. Leeds still sit six points clear of the drop zone, but they know it could’ve been more.
City played this one without their top scorer, Erling Haaland. He picked up a minor knock in training, so he missed out on facing his boyhood club. Rayan Cherki stepped in as City’s only change from last week’s win over Newcastle. Leeds kept the same lineup that drew with Aston Villa.
Leeds have been fighting for survival ever since Phil Foden’s late winner at the Etihad back in November. Since then, they’ve only lost twice in 14 league games. They almost got off to the perfect start here, too. In just the third minute, Dominic Calvert-Lewin somehow sent Brenden Aaronson’s perfect cross wide from right in front of the goal.
The game paused in the 11th minute, so City’s Muslim players could break their Ramadan fast. Soon after, Calvert-Lewin had another go from a tight angle but missed again.
City’s keeper, Gianluigi Donnarumma, caught a shot from James Justin, and Aaronson fired just wide after a cross from Jayden Bogle. Leeds pressed hard and won the ball high up the pitch, but they couldn’t make it count.
About 15 minutes before halftime, City started to get a grip on the game. Even then, Leeds had another big chance. Aaronson broke free on the counter, but Donnarumma stood firm in a one-on-one. Then City finally threatened: Nico O’Reilly’s header forced a good save from Karl Darlow.
Right before the break, City struck. Rayan Ait-Nouri sprinted down the left, picked out by Cherki’s brilliant pass, and crossed for Semenyo to tap in his sixth goal in 11 City matches.
Leeds came out flying again after halftime. Matheus Nunes blocked Calvert-Lewin in the box with a last-ditch tackle, but City soon settled into their rhythm.
Darlow had to make a spectacular save to deny Marc Guehi’s header. After that, City controlled most of the play, while Leeds worked hard to keep them from creating more clear chances.
Near the end, the home crowd came alive when substitute Jaka Bijol’s header went inches wide. But City held on, securing their 18th league win of the season.
ZEN MASTER: WHY PEP GUARDIOLA REFUSES TO GIVE MIKEL ARTETA ANY TITLE ADVICE
Pep Guardiola speaks out: Read why he won't advise Mikel Arteta, City’s Real Madrid UCL draw, and the plan for Elland Road today.
Pep Guardiola doesn’t want to talk about the pressure of chasing the Premier League title. When someone asked if he had any advice for Mikel Arteta, he just shook his head. “I’m not here to give advice,” he said. “I don’t even remember what that kind of pressure feels like.”
Right now, Guardiola’s Manchester City are five points behind Arsenal, but they’ve got a game in hand. He knows all about tight races; he’s guided City to six titles, plus he’s racked up league trophies with both Barcelona and Bayern Munich. Arteta, meanwhile, is still hunting for his first.
City have clawed their way back into the fight lately, after a rough patch earlier this year when they only managed one win out of six. Now, people are talking about a dramatic finish to the season, but Guardiola isn’t interested in the hype. For him, it’s all about the next match. “Honestly, I don’t think about it,” he said. “When we went head-to-head with Liverpool a few years back, I didn’t realise it in the moment, and I don’t now. All I’m thinking about is Elland Road.”
On top of that, City just found out they’ll be facing Real Madrid again in the Champions League’s last 16. Guardiola knows the Spanish giants well; he’s faced them 11 times since taking over at City, including a win at the Bernabeu last December. He actually likes these big matchups. “The more you play the best, the more you learn and improve. It pushes the club to get better,” he said.
This time, City go into the Leeds game a bit fresher. For the first time in 2026, they’ve had a couple of weeks without a midweek fixture. Guardiola even gave the squad three days off after beating Newcastle last Saturday. “They’ve trained well these last few days. "Everyone's ready for Elland Road,” he said. “From September onwards, you never get long weeks. But when you do, you have to take advantage. Train less, recover more. That’s how you keep everyone sharp.”
PERFECT FOR PEP: WHY SERGIO AGUERO BELIEVES RAPHINHA IS THE ULTIMATE CITY WINGER
Raphinha to Man City: Discover why Aguero thinks the Barca winger fits Pep’s system and the update on Julian Alvarez’s future.
Sergio Agüero thinks Raphinha would be a dream signing for Manchester City. The Brazilian winger made a real impact during his time at Leeds United, racking up 17 goals and 12 assists in just two seasons. Honestly, Leeds probably owed their Premier League survival back then to him; right after he left, they dropped to the Championship.
When Raphinha first arrived at Barcelona, things didn’t go smoothly. There were constant rumours about him heading back to England, but he managed to work his way into the starting lineup and became a key player. Since Hansi Flick took charge for the 2023/24 season, Raphinha’s numbers have exploded to 47 goals and 31 assists so far. Flick just knows how to get the best out of his attacking players, and Raphinha’s thriving because of it.
Still, whispers about Raphinha leaving Barcelona haven’t gone away. The club’s financial problems just won’t quit, and they’re reportedly open to selling a big-name player if the price is right. Arsenal and Chelsea have both been linked to him in the past, but they’re after younger players these days. But Agüero says City shouldn’t be counted out.
Talking to Trivela, Aguero was asked which Brazilian player would fit best at City under Pep Guardiola. He didn’t hesitate; Raphinha’s his pick. “Among those already in Europe, I really like Raphinha. He would fit perfectly into City’s style,” Aguero said.
If City did sign Raphinha, he’d probably be their top winger right away. He ticks all the boxes for Guardiola’s system. But let’s be real, the transfer isn’t likely. City has shifted focus to younger talent guys like Savinho, Jeremy Doku, and Rayan Cherki as they look to refresh the squad.
Barcelona, strapped for cash, would consider selling Raphinha, but they’d probably pump that money right back into their attack. There’s talk of Julian Alvarez now at Atletico Madrid being on their radar. With Robert Lewandowski’s contract up and Barcelona needing a new striker, that’s a priority for them this summer. If Alvarez is too pricey, Sport says they might go for City’s Omar Marmoush instead.
So, what about a swap deal of Raphinha for Marmoush or someone else? It sounds unlikely.
Sure, Raphinha is the “perfect fit". But City aren’t about to splash a huge fee on someone about to turn 30.
Aguero also touched on Guardiola’s future at City. Fans are worried he might leave, but Aguero doesn’t think there’s any reason to panic. “Pep still has one more year on his contract,” he said. “There’s no point debating it now; it just creates noise. When the time comes, it’ll be sorted. Nothing to stress about.”
Read More News