Leeds United are back on the road this weekend and it doesn’t get much more difficult than Manchester City at the Etihad. Daniel Farke’s side have only won once away from home this season and will need something close to a miracle if they want to climb out of the Premier League relegation zone.
Miracles can happen in football, however, and Leeds fans heading to the Etihad on Sunday will hope for a repeat of their team’s incredible 2-1 win back in April 2021. Despite being down to 10-men for the entire second-half, Marcelo Bielsa’s side took all three points thanks to a 91st-minute Stuart Dallas winner on the counter-attack.
Unfortunately, there were no fans at the Etihad due to the Covid-19 pandemic but it remains a memorable day for all involved with Leeds who watched on from home. Those involved in the win have taken very different career paths since, from Ballon d’Or contention to the Chinese Super League - let’s take a look at where they all are now.
1. GK: Illan Meslier
Stood strong as City piled on the pressure to make a handful of great saves. Still a Leeds player, having kept his first-choice spot until late last season when he was dropped amid a string of errors. Now third-choice and unlikely to remain beyond the current campaign. | Getty Images
2. RB: Luke Ayling
Took the armband after Cooper's red card and put in a brilliant captain's performance. Called time on a memorable eight-year spell in West Yorkshire last year, joining Middlesbrough where he is now skipper of the Championship promotion hopefuls. | Getty Images
3. CB: Diego Llorente
The win at City came during an impressive second-half of the season for Llorente but he struggled following Bielsa's exit. Spent 18 months on loan at Roma before a permanent move to Real Betis last year, where he had established himself as a key player up until a recent spate of injuries. | POOL/AFP via Getty Images
4. CB: Liam Cooper
Sent off just before half-time for a challenge on Gabriel Jesus. Remained Leeds club captain through three Premier League seasons and their return to the Championship before leaving after almost 10 years in 2024. Spent less than a year at CSKA Sofia before recently joining Sheffield Wednesday, making his debut in last weekend's defeat to Sheffield United. | POOL/AFP via Getty Images
5. LB: Ezgjan Alioski
Played the crucial through ball that set up Dallas' winner on that great day. Left Leeds as a cult hero after the 2020/21 season finished, with spells in Saudi Arabia and Turkey before returning Swiss outfit Lugano this summer, whom he left for West Yorkshire back in 2017. | POOL/AFP via Getty Images
6. CDM: Kalvin Phillips
His performance at the Etihad, and during two Premier League years at Leeds, caught the eye of Guardiola and he joined City in a £45m deal in 2022. Three years since have been miserable, however, with the midfielder picking up countless injuries and barely playing. Loan spells at West Ham and Ipswich Town didn't work out. | Getty Images