Post-match reaction

Tim Hobbs reporting

The Premiership's last 100 per cent record was left in ruins as Manchester City made the trip across the Pennines to pilfer all three points from Elland Road.

David O'Leary's side had won both Premiership games and moved into the group phase of the Champions League, while City had picked up just one win and conceded eight goals in their first three games back in the big time.

The Leeds boss is always insisting his side is too naove to win anything and his point was proved by a City side made up of bargain buys and superbly marshalled by Joe Royle's tactical masterplan. They produced one of the shocks of the season so far with goals from Steve Howey and Gerard Wiekens.

There were signs of City coming to Elland Road in search of just the one point as Royle left George Weah on the bench and gave Paulo Wanchope the chance to shake off his World Cup jetlag on his own up front.

 Wanchopehad only landed back in the country at lunchtime after helping Costa Rica beat Barbados, but with Michael Duberry and Lucas Radebe unsure of who was actually marking him, he prospered in his lone furrow.

Similarly a defence led by new skipper and former Leeds favourite Alf Inge Haaland held the upper hand as only Olivier Dacourt and the livewire Alan Smith showed the flashes of form that had left their side boasting the only 100 per cent record in the Premiership.

Leeds' lethargy was there for all to see on 32 minutes as Smith's cross from the right found neither Mark Viduka or Michael Bridges anywhere near goal and within two minutes they were left wanting at the other end as City stunned Elland Road with an opener.

 Wanchoperose in the Leeds box to meet Mark Kennedy's corner and although his header came back off the bar, Howey was the first to react and nudge the ball back into the roof of the net.

And the same formula plunged the home crowd into utter disbelief six minutes on as Wiekens opened his account for the season with a stunning strike.

 Radebefinally won an aerial challenge against Wanchope, but as the ball fell on the edge of the area, the Dutchman chested it down before sending a dipping volley over Nigel Martyn and in off the underside of the bar.

Leeds' response was instant and Bridges' first input two minutes later saw him fire an effort over a bemused Nicky Weaver but he saw his claims for Goal of the Month dashed by the width of the crossbar.

The half-time crescendo of cat-calls and an undoubted verbal lashing from their usually protective manager finally forced Leeds to reproduce their early-season form at the start of the second half.

After finding some much-needed width, sorely missing in the absence of Harry Kewell and Jason Wilcox, they fashioned chances for Matthew Jones and Lee Bowyer but saw City get a foot or a leg in the way when it mattered.

Leeds did pull one back on 56 minutes as Smith sent Bridges beyond the thick sky blue line to cross for Bowyer to guide a header beyond Weaver's dive to offer some hope to the home hoards.

But with Spencer Prior and Howey standing firm, Wanchope continuing to mesmerise his many markers and Shaun Wright-Phillips sent on to add some spark - as if any was needed - to the side, Leeds huffed and puffed but rarely looked like blowing the house down.

Instead it was City, their manager and magnificent support who came away beaming with pride at a performance that on this occasion at least, proved they are not just here to make the Premiership numbers up.

Leeds: Martyn, Kelly, Harte, Radebe, Duberry, Bowyer, Dacourt, Jones (Evans 57), Viduka, Bridges, Smith.
Subs Not Used: Huckerby, Robinson, Mills, Hay.
Booked: Duberry, Radebe, Dacourt.
Goals: Bowyer 56.

Man City: Weaver, Haaland, Howey, Whitley, Prior, Wiekens (Granville 78), Tiatto, Ritchie, Horlock, Wanchope, Kennedy (Wright-Phillips 66).
Subs Not Used: Dickov, Wright, Weah.
Booked: Howey, Haaland.
Goals: Howey 34, Wiekens 40.

Att: 40,055
Ref: G Poll (Tring)

O'LEARY ADMITS THE BEST TEAM WON

 Leeds chief David O'Leary was the first to admit that Man City were the better team as he saw his side's 100 per cent start come to an end.

O'Leary admitted that the "the best team won"  as goals from Steve Howey and Gerard Wiekens produced the shock of the night at Elland Road.

O'Leary said: "We just didn't play well tonight. We looked like a team with too many important players out, while these players who have come in and done brilliantly for us were off form."

"With Manchester City coming in and playing the way they did, we needed some of those quality players who are missing to unlock the door."

And O'Leary readily admitted that his side's first defeat of the season will have hardly had scouts from AC Milan and Barcelona quaking in their seats.

Both sides sent representatives to the game ahead of the Champions League clashes and the Leeds boss knows his side will have to improve beyond all recognition if they are to trouble the European big guns.

He said: "I'm sure both Barcelona and AC Milan will be quite pleased. They are both on a different plane to us. They are both big clubs with lots of spending power, but we will go into those games and do our best and hopefully we can learn from it."

Their success shot City up to seventh in the Premiership but Joe Royle's thoughts could not have been further from European competition.

The Maine Road supremo could not help reflect on City's rise and while Leeds are off to the Nou Camp, Royle's focus was a little closer to home.

He said: "I was reading in the programme before the game that two years ago we were playing at Macclesfield. To come so far in that space of time is absolutely fantastic - and we won that one as well."

"This was a good performance. We came with a gameplan and stuck to it and although there was a bit of pressure at half-time, I cannot remember the keeper making too many saves.

"It's one of those games in which people will say Leeds had an off night and that we got two goals from set-pieces, but that would be disrespectful to us.

"This is wonderland for the fans and they deserve it because they have been all over watching us.

"They must have wondered after our thrashing at Charlton (4-0 on the opening day) that we would suffer a string of away defeats, but this was just a great performance."

The greatness of the victory needed no explaining to Alf Inge Haaland, the former Leeds man who marked his first game as City skipper in the best possible fashion.

Haaland, always a favourite with the Elland Road faithful, was given a warm reception on the terraces, but was not expecting his former team-mates to extend the charity to all three points.

He told SkySports.comTV: "We didn't expect it really, we were hoping for a point but I was always dreaming about winning.

"I think they had a bit of possession, but our keeper hasn't had too many saves to make, so I think we defended decently."