O'Leary delivers home truth

"Flattered," he said. But not deceived.

David O'Leary stood with his back to a sky blue wall in a cold corridor of Maine Road after enduring a 90 minutes that felt longer, and colder, and for the first time in Leeds United's haphazard run of recent form, acknowledged publicly what others have whispered for a while, namely: to qualify for next season's Champions League, Leeds will probably have to win this season's European Cup. Even after a first Premiership away win since August, a top-three finish seems beyond Leeds now.

O'Leary then went further, stating that if the European Cup does not come to reside at Elland Road, it might be no bad thing. It would mean Leeds would be able to mount a more coherent Premiership challenge next time round. This represents a major change of policy. Shades of Chelsea last year.

"Financially, it would be a big thing for the club," said O'Leary of Leeds' possible exclusion from the Champions League. "But it might stand us in good stead to see what we could go and do in the league. It might be right. Take it on the chin and then go and see how we could do domestically rather than battling and battling on the European front.

"Last year we got to the UEFA Cup semi-final and I think it cost us in our challenge to Manchester United. Look, Man United are Man United, they're the best. Where I want to take this club is to be second to them."

But the club currently second to the champions, Sunderland, are 15 points ahead of Leeds, and with Liverpool beginning to show signs of fight Leeds' hopes of second or third place are verging on the abstract. "You can't rule it out," O'Leary had said, but that was before he mentioned that really we could.

With £64 million sterling spent in just over two years, O'Leary's critics will jump on their poor league position. But O'Leary does have his alibis. He may have declared this season an "unenjoyable" one from a coaching perspective, but Leeds' European progress has been one of the tales of it. It resumes in just under a month. It has been an admirable distraction.

Before then, however, starting a fortnight today, is the BowyerWoodgate court case which, regardless of its outcome, is bound to be disruptive. Lee Bowyer was Leeds' best player again on Saturday.

Then there is the new injury to Harry Kewell and the fact Eirik Bakke picked up his 10th booking of the season here meaning a two-game suspension. It took him just three minutes to earn it, Bakke thereby setting the trend for an abysmal first half in which yellow cards outnumbered shots on goal by five to one.

At least Bakke was responsible for the sole effort on target, his 31st minute shot beating Nicky Weaver following patient control from Jason Wilcox after Manchester City's Andy Morrison had given the ball away horribly at a City free-kick.

Leeds deserved their lead in terms of possession and nearly scored a second before the interval when a Bakke shot going wide was deflected towards the net. Weaver did well to readjust.

But City could not. Above all they lack creativity and for all the talk of the Premiership being a physical league, there is much subtlety on view each week. Just not at Maine Road.

Tony Grant came on to that end and gave City more options but after Paul Robinson had made a fine double save from City's first on-target attack on the hour, Alf Inge Haaland and Paulo Wanchope foiled, it was only a matter of time before Leeds got a second. Bowyer it was who produced it with 10 minutes to go, his shot going in off Richard Edghill after a slick run by Mark Viduka.

Robbie Keane had been on for nine minutes at that point and had already seen one well-balanced volley palmed away by Weaver. But when released by Bowyer in the 90th minute Keane beat Weaver with an improvised flick that must have gladdened O'Leary's pockets.

That was Keane's first goal in open play since his arrival from Inter Milan and his second came soon after. From a Bowyer corner that bypassed everyone in the six yard area, Keane scooped the ball in at the second attempt as he fell backwards. Off he went cart-wheeling. City's players looked bedraggled and bemused. O'Leary was right when he said the scoreline flattered Leeds.

Joe Royle agreed with him there. The City manager tried to remain positive even though City's situation worsens by the match. The notion that they have come too far, too fast is gaining credibility.

Stuck on 20 points they somehow have to find another 18 from somewhere, if Royle's projection is correct. There are relegation games with Derby County (on Saturday), Middlesbrough, Bradford City and Everton to come - but all are away - and City's last six fixtures are not encouraging: Leicester, Arsenal, Man United, West Ham, Ipswich and Chelsea.

"Please don't write us off yet," said Royle as he sipped from his trademark tin of postmatch cider. Sorry, Joe, it's hard not to.

MANCHESTER CITY: Weaver, Edghill, Dunne, Morrison (Wright-Phillips 81), Howey, Granville (Grant 45), Tiatto, Whitley, Haaland, Goater (Dickov 70), Wanchope. Subs Not Used: Nash, Prior. Booked: Howey, Edghill, Morrison, Tiatto, Haaland.

LEEDS UNITED: Robinson, Mills, Matteo, Ferdinand, Radebe, Dacourt, Bakke, Bowyer, Wilcox, Viduka, Smith (Keane 71). Subs Not Used: Martyn, Harte, Woodgate, Batty. Booked: Bakke, Dacourt, Mills. Goals: Bakke 31, Bowyer 80, Keane 90, 90.

Referee: M Dean (The Wirral).