5 talking points as sluggish Man City surrender Champions League lead in Leipzig
It was a game of two halves for Manchester City in Germany as RB Leipzig dominated the second period to force a draw at Red Bull Arena in the last 16 of the Champions League.
Riyad Mahrez broke the deadlock inside half an hour, capitalising on some lax defending to find a way past Janis Blaswich in the Leipzig goal. The home side started the second half the strongest, though, and the pressure paid when Josko Gvardiol leapt highest to head home an equaliser.
Both teams had chances to score again, with Leipzig on top in the second half. The tie isn't over, though, and the return leg at the Etihad Stadium is set up tantalisingly.
After defeats for Chelsea, Tottenham and Liverpool in their respective first legs, it was the responsibility of City to ensure Premier League teams didn't go four for four.
Pep Guardiola's team were without a number of first-team stars for their trip to Red Bull Arena. Kevin De Bruyne, Aymeric Laporte and John Stones were all missing for the game against opponents who beat them in a group stage meeting last season.
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Guardiola's side were able to contain their opponents throughout the first 45 minutes, but the home side grew into the game early in the second half and missed a golden opportunity to equalise through substitute Benjamin Henrichs. City continued to flounder, though, and Gvardiol levelled things up to leave the game delicately poised.
1. Mahrez on target again
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(AFP via Getty Images)Riyad Mahrez was City's scorer on their last trip to Red Bull Arena, and the Algerian wasted little time repeating the trick. While a loose Xaver Schlager pass gave City an opening, it was impressive and attentive play from Jack Grealish and Ilkay Gundogan - followed by Mahrez's clinical finish - which ensured the ball ended up in the back of the net.
The 24 goals scored by the former Leicester man last season represented a career best. It took him until October to get his first club goal this time around, but the opener at Red Bull Arena brought him up to 12.
Mahrez has scored important goals for City in the past. He may well be asked to do the same when Leipzig come to Manchester.
2. Walker out for redemption
Kyle Walker was busy at both ends (Andreas Gora/AP/REX/Shutterstock)Kyle Walker had a night to forget the last time Manchester City travelled to Leipzig, earning a late red card for a foul on Andre Silva. This was his first appearance in this season's competition, after injury kept the England defender out of several group games.
"Kyle Walker is an important player for us and it is unnecessary to lose him like this," City boss Guardiola said after the dismissal last season, adding "I hope he learns from this". By starting the former Spurs man, it felt like he was inviting Walker to prove he had indeed learned.
The full-back started on the front foot, showing a solid burst of pace to get past Marcel Halstenberg and win City their first corner of the evening. In the second half, he needed to show his defensive chops, and he did just that after a slick Leipzig move might have brought them level without a last-ditch Walker intervention.
3. Subs the difference for hosts
Benjamin Henrichs made an impact from the bench (Andreas Gora/AP/REX/Shutterstock)It could have been easy for Marco Rose's team to give up after being comfortably second-best in the first half. Instead, though, they were prepared to make changes and take the game to their opponents.
The addition of Benjamin Henrichs as the first sub was a curious one, but the right-back was a different kind of threat down his flank and was one errant finish away from levelling things up. Still, it was important to keep the visitors penned in down their left after Jack Grealish was allowed to run riot in the first half.
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Adding Christopher Nkunku into the mix certainly helped ensure the visitors remained worried, and it was 1-1 within minutes of the Frenchman's introduction. City, meanwhile, didn't make a single sub of their own.
4. Nkunku could be key in Manchester
Christopher Nkunku was only fit enough for a cameo from the bench (AFP via Getty Images)Christopher Nkunku wasn't risked from the start by the hosts, having only just returned from the injury which kept him out of the World Cup. The French forward will move to Chelsea at the end of the season, so he'll have been as disappointed as anyone not to show from the start what he can do against Premier League defences.
The former PSG man scored a hat-trick at the Etihad Stadium in his team's defeat last term. This time, though, he had to wait until the 65-minute mark to enter the fray.
Leipzig will hope their star man is fit to start in the return leg, and there were enough flashes in Germany to suggest the earlier injury hasn't dented his abilities on the field. A 90-minute runout for Nkunku at the Etihad should have City very worried.
5. All to play for at the Etihad
Josko Gvardiol delivered an important equaliser (Getty Images)A 1-0 win for City would have left the visitors feeling like it was job done. Instead, though, the manner of the home side's resurgence leaves it all to play for at the Etihad.
City will still be favourites, with 90 minutes to come in front of their own fans. It will still feel like an opportunity missed for Guardiola's men, though.
Not for the first time, either. There have been plenty of occasions in previous editions of the Champions League where City have failed to kill off a tie and been made to pay, and they will hope it's not another failure to add to the list after the second lef.
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