City record thrilling comeback win over Leipzig

Manchester City turned in a chalk-and-cheese performance to record a 3-2 comeback win at home to RB Leipzig in the Champions League on Tuesday night. 

A stuttering and disjointed first-half display from the reigning holders saw their German visitors take a 2-0 lead into the break thanks to two goals from Lois Openda. 

However, second-half strikes from Erling Haaland, Phil Foden and Julian Alvarez saw City roar back from the dead to book their place in the knockout stages of the competition and protect an unbeaten home record in Europe that stretches all the way back to 2018. 

The Action: Hosts City started in dominating fashion with their German visitors hardly having a touch in the opening minutes of the contest and Bernardo Silva had the first shot of the game, which was deflected wide. 

Leipzig quickly grew into the game, however, with Xavi Simons particularly lively for the visitors, and they stunned the Etihad by taking the lead through Lois Openda inside the first 15 minutes. 

Normally so solid at the back, Manuel Akanje was largely at fault for the goal, the Swiss defender inexplicably letting the ball bounce to allow Openda to run through on goal and fire home a left-footed shot past Stefan Ortega. 

Thrown off their stride, and with their 28-game unbeaten home record in Europe on the line, City were not their normal selves, although defender Dias did head narrowly over from a Silva free-kick minutes after Openda's opener.

City were not clicking and a wayward effort from Rico Lewis was symptomatic of an uncharacteristically poor start. And Pep Guardiola's night worsened on 32 minutes when the hosts conceded a second goal. 

Guardiola's side were again the architects of their own downfall, Dias this time failing to police Openda with any authority. After spinning Dias near the halfway line, the forward still had plenty left to do, but he did it fabulously: first standing up Josko Gvardiol then drilling past Ortega to make it 2-0. 

Erling Haaland blasted over one chance and directed a header straight at visiting keeper Janis Blaswich, but City failed to muster much of a response prior to the break, as last season's Treble winners struggled to live with their sharp and athletic opposition. 

Half-time: Man City 0-2 RB Leipzig

At the break, Guardiola wasted no time in ringing the changes and the introductions of Julian Alvarez and Jeremy Doku transformed City's fortunes. 

Within seconds of the restart, Alvarez released Haaland to half the deficit - and then Phil Foden hit his third goal of the current Champions League campaign from a Gvardiol pass to level the scores on 70 minutes. 

Three minutes from time, Argentine strike Alvarez completed a stirring fightback, taking a touch from Foden's cross before firing home into the corner. 

xG: Man City (1.96) 3-2 (0.48) RB Leipzig