Manchester City vs Leeds United: Preview, Prediction, Lineups

Manchester City vs Leeds United — Match Preview

The Etihad Stadium braces for a pivotal Premier League encounter this Saturday as a wounded Manchester City host a Leeds United side in freefall. Pep Guardiola’s champions are in unfamiliar territory, having lost back-to-back games against Newcastle and Bayer Leverkusen. Sitting 3rd in the table, they know that dropping more points could be fatal in their title pursuit.

For Leeds United, the situation is desperate. Daniel Farke’s men have slid into the relegation zone (18th) after losing five of their last six matches. With the manager currently the bookies’ favorite for the sack and a brutal run of fixtures ahead (City, Chelsea, Liverpool), this trip to Manchester feels like a damage limitation exercise. Can Farke conjure a miracle to save his job, or will a relentless City backlash blow them away?

Manchester City vs Leeds United — Quick Match Info

Fixture: Manchester City vs Leeds United
Competition: Premier League (Matchweek 13)
Venue: Etihad Stadium, Manchester (Capacity: 55,097)
Date: Saturday, 29 November 2025
Kickoff Time: 15:00 GMT / 16:00 CET / 20:30 IST
Referee: Peter Bankes
VAR: David Coote (Expected)
TV Channel (UK): Not Televised (3pm Blackout)
TV Channel (USA): Peacock Premium
TV Channel (India): Star Sports Select 1, Disney+ Hotstar
Live Stream: Peacock (USA), JioStar (India)

Manchester City vs Leeds United — Match Context (2025/26 Season)

Manchester City:

Position: 3rd in Premier League (22 Points).
Form: Stuttering. A dominant run was halted by a 2-1 loss at Newcastle and a midweek 0-2 Champions League shocker against Leverkusen.
Current Challenge: Rediscovering their clinical edge. With Rodri and Kovacic out, the midfield balance has looked fragile, exposing the defense to transitions.

Leeds United:

Position: 18th in Premier League (11 Points).
Form: Crisis. The 1-2 home loss to Aston Villa was their third straight defeat. They have conceded 22 goals in 12 games, the second-worst defensive record in the league.
Current Challenge: Survival. Farke needs to organize a defense that has leaked 3 goals against Brighton and Nottingham recently.

Manchester City vs Leeds United — What’s at Stake

For Manchester City:

Title Momentum: Trailing the leaders by 7 points, City cannot afford a “crisis” narrative. A convincing win is needed to silence the doubters and reset their season.

For Leeds United:

Daniel Farke’s Job: Reports suggest the German is on the brink. A heavy defeat here could force the board to act before the crucial Christmas period.

Manchester City vs Leeds United — Team Form

Manchester City (Last 5 Matches):

L vs Bayer Leverkusen (0-2 – CL)
L vs Newcastle (1-2)
W vs Liverpool (3-0)
W vs Dortmund (4-1 – CL)
W vs Bournemouth (3-1)

Leeds United (Last 5 Matches):

L vs Aston Villa (1-2)
L vs Nottingham Forest (1-3)
L vs Brighton (0-3)
W vs West Ham (2-1)
L vs Burnley (0-2)

Manchester City vs Leeds United — Team News

Manchester City:

Rodri: Out (Thigh Injury – Still lacking match fitness).
Mateo Kovacic: Out (Heel Injury – Long-term absentee).
Ruben Dias: Likely to return to the starting XI to stabilize the defense.
Rayan Cherki: The summer signing could start again as Guardiola looks for creativity against a low block.
Nico O’Reilly: The academy graduate has impressed at left-back and could retain his place.

Leeds United:

Anton Stach: Out (Concussion Protocol – A massive loss in midfield).
Sean Longstaff: Out (Calf Injury – Ruled out for 4-6 weeks).
Sebastiaan Bornauw: Questionable (Knee Injury – Late fitness test).
Goalkeeper Change: Summer signing Lucas Perri has firmly displaced Illan Meslier as the No. 1 and will be busy.

Manchester City vs Leeds United — Head to Head

06 May 2023: Man City 2–1 Leeds
29 Dec 2022: Leeds 1–3 Man City
30 Apr 2022: Leeds 0–4 Man City
14 Dec 2021: Man City 7–0 Leeds
10 Apr 2021: Man City 1–2 Leeds

Manchester City vs Leeds United — Predicted Lineups

Manchester City (4-1-4-1):

Guardiola is expected to field a strong XI to guarantee a reaction.

GK: Gianluigi Donnarumma
RB: Matheus Nunes (Inverted role)
CB: John Stones
CB: Joško Gvardiol
LB: Nico O’Reilly
CDM: Nico González
RM: Savinho (or Bernardo Silva)
CM: Phil Foden
CM: Tijjani Reijnders
LM: Jérémy Doku
ST: Erling Haaland

Leeds United (4-2-3-1):

Farke is forced to shuffle his midfield due to injuries. Ampadu likely moves into the engine room.

GK: Lucas Perri
RB: Jayden Bogle
CB: Joe Rodon
CB: Pascal Struijk
LB: Gabriel Gudmundsson
CDM: Ethan Ampadu (C)
CDM: Ilia Gruev
RW: Ao Tanaka
CAM: Brenden Aaronson
LW: Noah Okafor
ST: Lukas Nmecha

Manchester City vs Leeds United — Impact Bench Options

Manchester City:

Jack Grealish: If City need control against a packed defense, Grealish is the perfect lock-picker.
James McAtee: The youngster has shone in cameos and could get minutes if the game is won early.

Leeds United:

Manor Solomon: If fit, his dribbling ability is Leeds’ best hope of a consolation goal on the counter.
Mateo Joseph: Offers raw energy and pressing if Nmecha gets isolated.

Manchester City vs Leeds United — Tactical Outlook

Manchester City:

Playing Style: Suffocating Possession. After two losses, expect City to be risk-averse but dominant. They will pin Leeds into their own box, using Doku and Savinho to stretch the play wide before cutting back for Haaland.
Weakness: Counter-Pressing. Without Rodri, City’s transition defense has been slower. If Leeds can bypass the first wave of pressure, they might find space behind Nunes.

Leeds United:

Playing Style: Survival Block. Farke has no choice but to park the bus. They will defend in a 4-5-1 shape, trying to clog the central areas. Their only hope is long balls to Nmecha or Okafor chasing lost causes.
Strength: Desperation. Teams fighting for their manager sometimes produce freak performances. Leeds will throw bodies in front of everything.

Manchester City vs Leeds United — Key Battles

Matchup	Battle Type	Edge
Erling Haaland vs. Joe Rodon	The Mismatch: Haaland is angry and hungry. Rodon has struggled against physical strikers this season. This could be ugly.	Man City
Jérémy Doku vs. Jayden Bogle	1v1 Nightmare: Bogle loves to get forward but will be pinned back by Doku’s pace. If Doku isolates him, it’s game over.	Man City
Nico González vs. Brenden Aaronson	Midfield Engine: Aaronson’s energy is Leeds’ only way to disrupt City’s rhythm. González needs to be calm under pressure.	Man City

Manchester City vs Leeds United — Spotlight Players

Rayan Cherki (Manchester City):

The summer signing has been a bright spark in a tough week. His two-footedness and creativity in tight spaces make him the perfect player to unlock a deep Leeds block.

Lucas Perri (Leeds United):

The Brazilian goalkeeper has a huge job on his hands. He will likely face 20+ shots. If he can make 2-3 miracle saves early on, he gives Leeds a glimmer of hope.

Manchester City vs Leeds United — Fan Reactions

Man City Fans:

“No more experiments, Pep. Just play the best team and smash them. We need to send a message.”

“Haaland hat-trick to shut everyone up. Leeds are awful at the back.”

Leeds Fans:

“I fear for Farke today. If it’s 5-0, he’s gone tonight.”

“Just keep the score down. Our goal difference is already embarrassing.”

Manchester City vs Leeds United — Where to Watch

UK: Not Televised
USA: Peacock Premium
India: Star Sports Select 1, Disney+ Hotstar, JioStar
Australia: Optus Sport

Manchester City vs Leeds United — Match-Defining Factors

The First 20 Minutes: If City score early, the floodgates will open. Leeds’ confidence is so brittle that conceding early could lead to a collapse.
Set Pieces: City are dangerous from corners with Gvardiol and Stones. Leeds have conceded heavily from set-pieces this season.
Guardiola’s Selection: Will he rotate again? After the Leverkusen loss, he is likely to pick his most trusted available players to ensure the win.

Manchester City vs Leeds United — Prediction

Score Prediction: Manchester City 4–0 Leeds United

Betting Insights:

Outcome: Manchester City -2 Handicap.
Total Goals: Over 3.5 Goals (City to score 3+ themselves).
Anytime Goalscorer: Erling Haaland (He loves playing Leeds).

Analysis: This is the perfect “bounce back” fixture for Manchester City. Leeds are defensively porous, missing key midfielders, and lacking confidence. Guardiola will demand a ruthless performance, and his players will deliver. Expect a one-sided traffic attack with Haaland feasting on Leeds’ fragile backline.

Manchester City vs Leeds United — Final Word

Manchester City are wounded animals, and that makes them dangerous. Leeds United are unfortunately the perfect prey. Unless Daniel Farke can mastermind the defensive performance of the season, this looks like a heavy defeat that could spell the end of his tenure at Elland Road.

Manchester City vs Leeds United — FAQs

When is the Man City vs Leeds match?

The match kicks off on Saturday, 29 November 2025, at 15:00 GMT (20:30 IST).

Is Rodri playing?

No, Rodri is still out with a thigh injury.

Who is the Leeds goalkeeper?

Summer signing Lucas Perri is expected to start, having replaced Illan Meslier as the No. 1.

Where can I watch the match in India?

You can watch live on Star Sports Select 1 and stream on Disney+ Hotstar or JioStar.

Call to Action — SportsphereArena Community

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