Manchester City’s seven-game winning run came to an end with a 2-1 defeat to RB Leipzig in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Having sacked coach Jesse Marsch ahead of the game, Leipzig came out with confidence and zipped the ball about with ease when allowed a go in possession.
Konrad Laimer and Kevin De Bruyne, enjoying a first start since recovering from Covid-19, both threatened before Dominik Szoboszlai broke the deadlock with a deceptively simple goal.
A through ball down the centre of the park set the Hungarian away and the flag stayed down to allow him to race around Zack Steffen and put Leipzig into the lead.
It was almost 2-0 but for Steffen’s smart stop from an incisive move that led to Andre Silva looking ready to head home from close range, but for the American’s intervention.
City were not at their best but never not a threat, as shown by Phil Foden’s break down the left and early shot across the face of goal, which required Peter Gulacsi’s fingertips to tip onto the post.
Throwing Raheem Sterling off the bench in place of Foden, Pep Guardiola’s desire to stretch out the winning run was shown in his reluctance to turn to the plethora of youth stars among his substitutes.
The visitors’ control of territory only grew but a lack of incisiveness and a lazy final touch meant there was no end product to test Gulacsi again.
City were punished when John Stones gave away the ball in his own half, prompting Forsberg to run down the left and cut a cross back for Silva. The unmarked Portuguese striker took his time before firing a low effort past Steffen to double Leipzig’s lead.
Riyad Mahrez then popped up to head home Oleksandr Zinchenko’s superb cross, one of the only decent balls in City delivered all game, and provide a glimmer of hope with 15 minutes to go.
However that went with Kyle Walker’s late red card, for a needless kick out at Silva as he ran past the defender down the wing.
City still qualify for the last-16 as Group A winners, an outcome decided before the game, while Leipzig drop into the Europa League knockouts.
