Man City 3-1 Leicester… Report By Simon Mack

Manchester City 3 Leicester 1

21^st December 2019 17:30

Etihad Stadium

Attendance: 54,415

The sky blues came from behind at home to Leicester City on Saturday evening to close the gap on the foxes in 2^nd spot to 1 point.

Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers reverted to a familiar starting eleven for this top 3 clash with Ayonze Perez and Harvey Barnes joining the fray in the wider midfield positions and the game began with the foxes being stretched as some neat work from ex Leicester magician Riyad Mahrez on the right found Kevin De Bruyne on the edge of the box and his low drive rebounded out off of the near post.

Leicester rolled with the punches fighting hard to keep their hosts at bay until some cracking play on the left from Harvey Barnes fed the ever hungry Jamie Vardy a through ball of perfect quality and the foxes most deadly of all threats ran onto the perfectly weighted pass drove into the box and lifted his strike beautifully over an outrushing Ederson in the Man City goal to give Leicester a surprise lead on the balance of play with just over 20’ on the clock.

The sky blues were enjoying the lion’s share of possession and were pressing onto the foxes as they visitors defended in their own final 3^rd of the park and as the home side heaped on the pressure surging for an equaliser Riyad Mahrez (who seemed in unusual fine form of late) worked some of the magic of old along the right darting infield toward the box and his rapid low drive toward goal was deflected into the foxes net by an unsuspecting Caglar Soyunchu.

With the scores level Manchester City continued to heap the strain onto the Leicester lines and a another raiding attack this time along the left saw Raheem Sterling tackled by Ricardo as he was goal bound inside the foxes box and referee Mike Dean did not hesitate in pointing to the spot. VAR looked at the decision as usual but the on field call was upheld despite their being debatable / marginal contact on Sterling by the Leicester right back and İlkay Gündoğan stepped up to the spot to give the hosts the lead despite Kasper Schmeichel diving the right way.

Into the second period with a lead established and their tails up Manchester City displayed their prowess in game management but the foxes were not to be silenced and a cracking ball across the box from an every threatening ever bright Jamie Vardy so nearly found and onrushing Harvey Barnes in the 6 yard area but he just couldn’t quite make the contact that would have seen Leicester level and took quite a thump from Ederson in the home goal.

Mahrez in scintillating form was only denied by a superb stop from Kasper Schmeichel as another rasping shot was fired low and hard at the visitors goal, and ultimately the game’s result was signed and sealed just after the hour as the outstanding Kevin De Bruyne drove with purpose and grace to the right of the foxes box and his perfect cross met with Gabriel Jesus at the back post who tapped the ball home to seal all 3 points for the sky blues and score his 1^st goal at home in almost a year.

Post-match Brendan Rodgers was quick to admit that his side had been below par on the night but was also taking the positives from the encounter stating that the evening had been an important part of his young sides learning and development. Rodgers went on to compliment Man City’s display and confirm that Harvey Barnes goal bound effort to meet Vardy’s cross may have caused an issue with the young wide man’s ankle.

This was Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City at their regal title winning best just when it counted and the sky blue’s eleven delivered a display of the highest quality in a crucial game at a crucial time. For Leicester City fans may be this is a good time to reflect on the lofty place that our side inhabit. To be in 2^nd spot going into what is sure to be an epic clash against league leaders Liverpool on Boxing Day night is a scenario that back in August surely we would all have been delighted with, and despite the last couple of results a top 4 finish must be on every Leicester fan’s Christmas list as a realistic and wonderful outcome of Brendan Rodger’s first full season at the helm…. And then there’s a cup semi-final too!

From me to all Leicester City fans my very best wishes to you all for a wonderful Christmas and why not pop down and see all of the 100% LCFC team outside the Blue’s Bar pre match at the boxing day top 2 showdown, it’s almost certain to be an epic clash. Merry Christmas and take care.