Bristol City missed a chance to book their place in the play-off places as they were beaten 4-0 by Leeds United at Elland RoadLiam Manning and Bristol City were thrashed by Leeds United at Elland Road(Image: Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)

Liam Manning admits he felt his Bristol City side “played the occasion too much” in their defeat to Leeds United at Elland Road and while the Reds boss wants his players to hurt after the loss, he is insistent they cannot wake up with a “hangover” ahead of their clash with Preston North End.

City slipped to back-to-back Championship defeats for the first time in 2025 as goals from Ao Tanaka, Wilfried Gnonto and a late brace from substitute Largie Ramazani saw Daniel Farke’s Premier League-bound Whites romp to a 4-0 win in front of the Sky Sports cameras.

Tanaka handed Leeds the lead after just 22 minutes when he tapped home unmarked at the back post following a corner. While some smart saves from Max O’Leary ensured the home side’s lead was only a single goal at half-time, Gnonto doubled their advantage early in the second half when he latched onto a through ball before lifting his effort past the Robins’ number one.

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Although any hope of a City comeback had already faded by the time Ramazani got on the scoresheet, the winger found the back of the net twice in his nine-minute cameo to start the promotion party in Yorkshire. While Manning is insistent there is “no shame” in losing to the best side in the Championship, he was left frustrated by the manner of the goals the Robins conceded.

“Two things, I think. One, we just spoke about it in the changing room, we had to address tonight,” the head coach told Bristol Live after the full-time whistle at Elland Road. “The manner of the goals and also, when you look at it, I thought we played the occasion too much.

“The atmosphere is electric and naturally, they came out fired up and ready to go. You then have to work harder to be a little bit more proactive with your thinking and take a little bit more care with the ball and we kind of compounded mistake with mistake.

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“Then, despite all their good play, the frustrating bit is that we concede off a set piece. That’s probably the bit that we come away frustrated with tonight, just the manner of the goals that we conceded, not losing to, for me, the best side in the division because they’re a top team with top players. There’s no shame in that. It’s probably more just the level that we hit today.”

Heading into their final game of the season against Preston North End at Ashton Gate on Saturday afternoon, the Robins sit fifth in the Championship, one point clear of sixth-placed Coventry City and seventh-placed Middlesbrough. Blackburn Rovers also remain in the top six hunt with Valerian Ismael’s side just two points adrift of the Reds in eighth place.

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The only way City can guarantee their spot in the play-offs is with a win over Paul Heckingbottom’s side on the final day of the campaign. Although there is a chance they could finish in the top six with a draw or a defeat against Preston, they would be relying on the teams in and around them dropping points.

With so much to play for this weekend, Manning wants his squad to return to Ashton Gate with a fresh mindset ahead of what is now the biggest game of their campaign.

“That was kind of point one of addressing tonight and then the second bit is that we have to move on quickly,” the City boss continued. “We have to hurt tonight, we have to be frustrated tonight but we have to wake up tomorrow not carrying any hangover, ready for Saturday.”

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