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Goals from Savinho and Erling Haaland secured victory for Manchester City at Leicester, breaking a run of four matches without a win for the Premier League champions.
It was far from a convincing victory though, with Leicester matching Pep Guardiola’s side for good chances created and hitting the post twice. Ruud van Nistelrooy will certainly think they could have easily got something out of the match.
The crucial moment came midway through the second half when Jamie Vardy failed to guide home Stephy Mavididi’s cross from six yards out for an equaliser.
Six minutes later, Haaland made no mistake heading home a cross from Savinho, who earlier netted his first goal for the club.
The win lifts City up to fifth spot in the table, while Leicester remain third-bottom of the Premier League.
Talking point – A small step in the right direction
“City are back” the visiting fans sung, but it seems a stretch on this performance. In fairness the away contingent were earlier chanting “we are staying up”.
The huge Rodri hole remains evident, both in the way Leicester were easily able to move the ball through the middle of the park and the static nature of their own transition at times.
The Foxes on another day could have scored at least two themselves and the ease in which their players were found in space in the penalty area will be concerning for Guardiola and will not go unpunished against other sides.
The presence of Kevin De Bruyne certainly gave City more stability though, playing purposeful balls in the final third rather than the predictable keep-ball teams have felt easier to stop this season.
Perhaps the best indication of City’s current mindset was Stefan Ortega being booked for time wasting with ten minutes remaining in the match. Not a caution you would expect to get playing relegation-threatened opponents.
Player of the Match – Bilal El Khannous (Leicester City)
With no real standout performance, the 20-year-old Moroccan gets the award. One moment in the second half particularly shone when under pressure from fellow North Belgian-born star Kevin De Bruyne, he performed a back-heeled drag back before striking an inch-perfect 40-yard crossfield ball. Most of the rest of his best work came in the opposition half when he was consistently beating opposition players and feeding the ball to team-mates in danger areas.
Player ratings:
Leicester City: Stolarczyk 7; Justin 6, Coady 6, Vestergaard 6, Kristiansen 6; Winks 7, Soumare 7; Mavididi 7, El Khannous 8*, Buonanotte 7; Vardy 6.
Subs: Choudhury 7, Daka 6, Okoli 6, Alves.
Man City: Ortega 7; Lewis 7, Akanji 6, Ake 6, Gvardiol 6; Kovacic 6; Foden 6, De Bruyne 7, Bernardo 6, Savinho 7; Haaland 7.
Subs: McAtee 7, Walker 6.
Match highlights
20′ GREAT STOP FROM ORTEGA Gvardiol’s header back to his keeper was read by Vardy and he nudged past the Man City stopper but from a tight angle his effort was saved by Ortega.
21′ GOAL! LEICESTER 0-1 MAN CITY (SAVINHO) Foden struck low from 25 yards out and Stolarczyk pushed wide of the goal but the Brazilian winger smashed the ball into the net for his first goal for the club.
68′ MAVIDIDI WITH A GREAT CROSS It finds Vardy behind Ake six yards out but the striker sticking out a leg guides the ball just over the bar.
74′ GOAL! LEICESTER 0-2 MAN CITY (HAALAND) On the break, there was good work from McAtee on the right flank and then De Bruyne played in Savinho who dinked a perfect cross for Haaland to attack and head across Stolarczyk and into the net.
90′ OFF THE BAR! Mavididi’s cross finds Vardy at the back post but his header clips the top of the crossbar.
