Manchester City won a five-goal thriller at the Red Bull Arena on Champions League Matchday 4 (Wed 4 Nov 2026), beating RB Leipzig 3–2 after being pegged back twice.
The subplot wrote itself. Leipzig are managed by Martin Demichelis, a former Manchester City defender, and his side had won all five of their home games this season without conceding a single goal. City arrived with two wins from three in the league phase under Enzo Maresca, knowing a third would put them inside the places that advance directly to the Round of 16 — but nothing about the opening half-hour suggested an easy night.
Leipzig started like a side protecting a perfect home record. Antonio Nusa troubled Gianluigi Donnarumma early on, the City goalkeeper fumbling a shot from the edge of the box over his crossbar, and Nusa was involved again in a break down the right that ended with David Raum's effort blocked. Christoph Baumgartner curled one close from distance and Brajan Gruda also fired wide from a dangerous position, as the hosts, not the visitors, set the tempo (DAZN).
City began to settle, and Phil Foden curled an effort narrowly wide — but the lead, when it came on 37 minutes, owed plenty to luck. Nico O'Reilly raced on to a long ball from Rayan Cherki and his cutback looked wasteful, until Castello Lukeba, not realising he was under no pressure, guided the bobbling ball into his own net (DAZN). City led at half-time through the defender's own goal.
Leipzig regrouped and came again. Nusa and Baumgartner both forced saves out of Donnarumma, but four minutes after the break the goalkeeper was badly caught out — straying off his line as Ridle Baku broke down the left, he could only watch as Baku's cross snuck in at his near post (49'). Leipzig might have had another moments later, Nusa playing in Ezechiel Banzuzi with a backheel, only for the midfielder to miss the target (DAZN).
City rallied. Haaland got his first chance of the game when a Cherki pass was deflected into his path, but Maarten Vandevoordt kept out the Norwegian's snap-shot. On 58 minutes City were back in front: Leipzig allowed Iliman Ndiaye too much space on the left, and his whipped cross was met by a powerful Enzo Fernández header. The lead lasted three minutes. Antonio Nusa, impressive all night, drilled a low shot across goal from substitute Christopher Nkunku's lay-off — 2–2 (DAZN).
Haaland, captain for the night, had been quiet — the winner came with his 13th touch of the game. On 78 minutes Elliot Anderson made a determined run and crossed low and precise, and Haaland sprinted to the back post and slid it in. The goal is Haaland's 13th in nine career appearances against Leipzig — the most he has scored against any opponent — his 62nd in 61 Champions League appearances, and his 14th of the season (per Manchester City / DAZN accounting).
The winner was Haaland's; the night, in many ways, was Anderson's. City's summer signing finished with 102 touches of the ball, 10 ground duels won, seven tackles and seven recoveries in an all-action midfield display (Manchester City). Haaland was quick to share the credit afterwards. "He's been amazing," he said of Anderson. "He's had an amazing start to his City career." And on his own quiet evening: "13 touches — it's not the most, but what is the most important? I helped the team to win, so I'm super happy." Leipzig, he admitted, bring out the best in him: "I think it's the most I've scored against a club. I've played so many times against them with City in the Champions League and with Borussia Dortmund as well. Leipzig is a good team, so I'm super happy about that." And on the discipline of a quiet night for a striker: "You can look at it as it's difficult to keep concentrated for 100 minutes, or look at it in a positive way — that it's only 100 minutes to be fully focused, to hopefully be ready when the chance comes. I look at it in the second option."
There was still time for both sides to hit the woodwork in the closing stages — David Raum's free-kick looped over Donnarumma and struck the bar, and Cherki thumped against the bar at the other end (DAZN). The result ends Leipzig's perfect home record: five wins from five without conceding before tonight became their first home defeat and first home goals conceded of the season (TNT Sports / Manchester City). City, under Enzo Maresca, now have three wins from four in this season's Champions League and move up to seventh in the league phase, inside the places that advance directly to the Round of 16. City next host Napoli at the Etihad on Tuesday 24 November.
Every goal from the Red Bull Arena thriller lives on the match's Game Center page.
