Leicester City 0, Manchester City 2
Benjamin Mendy and Gabriel Jesus goals scored in a vital Manchester City victory over Leicester City at the King Power Stadium.
Embed from Getty ImagesThose second half strikes earned City a 15th successive away win – 26 wins out of their last 27 – to put them 17 points clear of United who play tomorrow, and the Blues only need two more points to secure Champions League football for next season and a maximum of 11 more points to claim the title.
The win also dethroned Liverpool – the Merseysiders cannot now catch City in the title race – with the in-form Blues seemingly only a matter of weeks away from reclaiming the Premier League.
And a 28th clean sheet in all competitions while conceding only 26 goals is a better record than any other side in Europe’s top five leagues.
Both sides had a goal chalked off for clear first half offsides while Kevin De Bruyne, who orchestrated the game from midfield, crashed a free kick of the crossbar and Riyad Mahrez had the clearest chance of the half blocked by Kasper Schmeichel.
Such was City’s degree of control in the first half that there was a six minute spell in the first half where City notched up 53 passes without Leicester getting a touch – a stat which summed up City’s day of dominance – before City turned the screw in the second half to beat the Foxes.
Pep Guardiola made six changes after the tiring international break, bringing in players who had a lighter work load in the last fortnight with one eye on their Champions League game against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday.
Sergio Aguero started after it was announced he would be leaving the club at the end of the season and he was joined in the side by Ederson, Benjamin Mendy, Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne, and Riyad Mahrez.
Zack Steffen, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Bernardo Silva, Ilkay Gundogan, Phil Foden, and Raheem Sterling stepped down.
There was a moment of applause to remember former Leicester City player Frank Worthington who passed away during the International window.
And Fernandinho had the ball into the back of the net within 5 minutes of the start with a low drive from the edge of the box but it was ruled out for offside because Aguero was in an offside position and obscuring Kasper Schmeichel’s view of the ball.
City had a lot of the ball in the opening stages but there was precious little goal mouth action until Aguero volleyed overt the bar after Mahrez intercepted Timothy Castagne’s casual clearance and the Argentine reacted.
De Bruyne won a free kick 25 yards out on the left of the D and the Belgian thumped his free kick into the crossbar after 23 minutes after a period of utter City dominance.
Mahrez found Jesus with a through ball which the Brazilian couldn’t square into the path of Aguero – Schmeichel leapt on to the weak cross – as Leicester toiled to keep City at bay.
Marc Albrighton’s free kick was collected easily by Ederson in Leicester’s only attempt in City’s half of any description shortly before the half hour.
Fofana blocked a shot by Rodri as City overloaded the Leicester box soon afterwards.
And Mahrez had a late shot saved by Schmeichel’s outstretched boot before De Bruyne curled a shot wide with Jesus blazing over just before half time.
Jamie Vardy was flagged offside after he tucked the ball away in added time at the end of the first half when put through by Ayoze Perez – a warning for City after it looked they had been sucker punched.
Leicester have chances but Manchester City take theirs to dethrone Liverpool
Youri Tielemans wriggled past Fernandinho at the start of the second half, created some space and produced Leicester’s first shot on target which Ederson saved.
Ruben Dias got back to block Tielemens shot after Fernandinho had lost the ball in midfield to allow Kelechi Iheanacho a run on goal before he set the Belgian up.
Aguero’s volley was blocked by Castagne with City re-asserting control after their shaky start to the second half.
Mahrez’s shot was blocked by Schmeichel but Rodri put the ball back into the box where it was half cleared as far as Benjamin Mendy who controlled the ball and curled it past Schmeichel with his right foot with a well placed shot for his second goal of the season – his second Premier League goal in his last six appearances in the league.
Raheem Sterling came on for Aguero after 63 minutes to exploit the inevitable gaps as the Foxes now needed a goal.
Fit-again James Maddison and Ricardo Pereira came on for the last 19 minutes for Marc Albrighton and Iheanacho.
Gabriel Jesus, 24 today, stabbed home City’s second after De Bruyne’s delicious pass picked out Jesus – the Brazilian squared for Sterling who was quickly mobbed but the England winger sent the ball back to Jesus who picked up his 13th goal of the season from 6 yards out – with Sterling’s 50th Premier League assist.
Mahrez sent a shot wide after Jesus won the ball off Jonny Evans and found De Bruyne with a quick pass back before the Belgian slipped Mahrez through for a golden opportunity to seal the win.
Ferran Torres was immediately brought on to replace the Algerian with 11 minutes to go.
James Maddison blazed over from just outside the box with the game ebbing away from them and also shot straight at Ederson after Ricardo found him with a cross.
With tempers fraying as late tackles flew in, De Bruyne was brought off after threatening an altercation with Daniel Amartey for aiming a swipe at his head with Phil Foden replacing him with 2 minutes to go as City saw out the game comfortably.
GOALS – Leicester City 0, Manchester City 2
Leicester City 0, Man City 1: 58. Benjamin Mendy controlled a half cleared Rodri cross and curled it past Kasper Schmeichel inside the back post with a right footed shot.
Leicester City 0, Man City 2: 74. Gabriel Jesus exchanged passes with Raheem Sterling after he was put clean through by Kevin De Bruyne before stabbing home from 6 yards out.
MATCH STATS – Leicester City 0, Manchester City 2
Leicester City: Schmeichel, Fofana, Evans, Castagne, Amartey, Ndidi (Mendy 83), Tielemans, Albrighton (Ricardo 71), Perez, Iheanacho (Maddison 71), Vardy
Leicester City subs not used: Ward, Daley-Campbell, Thomas, Choudhury, Praet, Suengchitthawon
Booking: Ndidi 32 (foul on Kevin De Bruyne); Amartey 87 (foul on Kevin De Bruyne)
Man City: Ederson, Walker, Dias, Laporte, Mendy, Fernandinho (C), Rodri, Mahrez (Torres 79), De Bruyne (Foden 88), Jesus, Aguero (Sterling 63)
Man City subs not used: Carson, Stones, Ake, Gundogan, Bernardo Silva, Cancelo
Booking: Ederson 73 (time wasting); Fernandinho 82 (foul on James Maddison); Rodri 90 (foul on Youri Tielemens)
Goals: Mendy 58; Jesus 74
Referee: Anthony Taylor