Haaland Seals Late City Win at Leipzig and Demands Improvement

Erling Haaland urged Manchester City to "step up" after his late goal gave them a 3-2 Champions League win at RB Leipzig, according to Sky Sports. Haaland struck 12 minutes from time, converting Elliot Anderson's low cross, to restore City's winning habit after their weekend defeat to Brighton. It was his 13th goal in nine appearances against the Bundesliga club, the most he has scored against any opponent in his career.

City led twice but made heavy work of the match. Their first-half opener came gift-wrapped when Castello Lukeba turned the ball into his own net, after Leipzig had been on top and gone close through Christoph Baumgartner and Antonio Nusa. Early in the second half, Gianluigi Donnarumma saved well to deny Baumgartner, but moments later the City goalkeeper was beaten at his near post by Ridle Baku, who finished from a tight angle when a low cross seemed the likelier option.

Haaland had been a bystander in the first half, with just three touches, and was denied with his first chance. City then regained the lead when Enzo Fernandez arrived in the box to head home Iliman Ndiaye's cross. Within three minutes Leipzig were level again, Nusa firing low across Donnarumma into the bottom right corner from inside the box. City's best spell followed, helped by the introduction of Jeremy Doku, and Anderson set up Haaland to score from close range. In a frantic finale, Leipzig's David Raum and City's Rayan Cherki both hit the woodwork before the visitors held on to move up to seventh in the league phase table.

Sky Sports' report was critical of Donnarumma, saying he is doing little to convince he is a reliable last line of defence. It described him as directly culpable for Leipzig's opening goal, getting into a muddle when composure was needed from a cross from the right, and said his handling looked uncertain on several occasions while his decision-making invited pressure. The report added that Raum nearly punished another moment of indecision when a free-kick rattled the crossbar.

Haaland said Leipzig was the club he had scored most against, noting he had played them many times in the Champions League with City and Borussia Dortmund, and called them a good team. He praised Anderson's start to his City career, saying new players must come straight in and perform and that adapting to a new club and coach is not easy. On the team's display, Haaland said he was not sure how many touches he had but that helping the team win was what mattered, adding that City needed to push for a second and third goal after going 1-0 up and must work on that. He described the game as tough in moments, saying City controlled quite well but struggled at times, and that away games in Germany in the Champions League are difficult. He called Leipzig well organised, aggressive and dangerous with their wingers, said City had to be careful on transitions, and added they would recover and move on with the three points.