By SCM Football Correspondent
ETIHAD STADIUM – The Etihad Stadium, usually a fortress of calm, turned into a cauldron of pure, unadulterated Premier League drama as Manchester City snatched a desperate 3-2 victory against a defiant Leeds United side.
This wasn’t Pep’s slick, standard win, oh no. This was a five-goal, heart-stopping, nerve-shredding epic that saw the champions nearly blow a two-goal lead before local hero Phil Foden delivered a knockout punch just seconds from the final bell.
The atmosphere was electric from the start, a proper roar bouncing off the shimmering blue stands, and the crowd were still settling their pies when FODEN scored the fastest goal of the season, clocking in at just 59 seconds!
The Stockport-born superstar clipped the ball home to send the Etihad faithful into ecstasy.
The swagger was back. City were cruising, and the feeling was infectious. Croatian powerhouse JOSKO GVARDIOL doubled the advantage in the 25th minute, a proper centre-back’s poke in the box, and it felt like a procession under the Mancunian lights.
But the Etihad was silenced after the break. Whatever Leeds boss Daniel Farke told his men, it worked. The stadium felt suddenly heavy with tension as Leeds roared back.
Just four minutes into the second half, substitute DOMINIC CALVERT-LEWIN smashed home a penalty in the 49th minute after a lapse in the City defence.
The noise from the travelling Whites’ support in the corner of the Etihad was deafening.
The tension became unbearable when LUKAS completed the stunning comeback in the 68th minute, tucking away a rebound after his penalty attempt was saved. The Etihad was now a scene of high-stakes panic, with Guardiola prowling the technical area like a caged tiger.
The match official signalled TEN added minutes, and the air was thick with desperation. The City fans, who had seen their side dominate, watched as the clock ticked into the 91st minute.
Foden, The Stockport Iniesta, picked up the ball and, with the composure of a veteran hitman, drilled a low shot into the bottom corner. The sound as the ball hit the net was swallowed by the sheer, magnificent ROAR that tore through the Etihad Stadium roof.
It was a dramatic great escape, sealed by the local lad, confirming once again that the Etihad is where the Premier League’s most incredible stories are told.
