Man City 2, Leicester City 0
First half goals from Jack Grealish and Omar Marmoush handed Manchester City a routine win over Leicester City.
Victory meant a return to the top four for City, temporarily at least, but City could welcome back long term injury victim Oscar Bobb.
City were utterly comfortable in building the 2-0 lead in the first half with Jack Grealish opening the scoring from 12 yards out after stabbing home Savinho’s cutback from the touching after 109 seconds.
Thousands of fans missed the early goal as they were in the concourse for the first 9 minutes of the game protesting against City introducing a ninth ticket resale partner.
City doubled their lead after 30 minutes when Ruben Dias’ ball into the mixer was spilled by Mads Hermansen leaving Omar Marmoush to smash the loose ball into the roof of the net.
Marmoush and Savinho could have extended the lead but failed to convert great chances and with the Foxes being more solid after the break after Jamie Vardy was replaced by Oliver Skipp the home side didn’t need to worry about any heroics from Leicester.
The second half was so under control that City could afford to bring on Oscar Bobb for Savinho late in the game – the Norwegian came on to a big cheer after his long injury lay off.
PLAYER RATINGS – Man City 2, Leicester City 0
Ederson: 6. Quiet night. Couple of risky passes late in the game.
Matheus Nunes: 6. Used his pace well defending the right flank. Wasn’t put under a lot of pressure and could afford to be more attacking as City built up a lead.
Ruben Dias: 6. Chipped ball into the box outfoxed Mads Hermansen for the second goal. Could afford to coast in this game.
Josko Gvardiol: 7. Rare start at centre half, did well in less physically demanding position though still not at his best.
Nico O’Reilly: 6. Full Premier League debut. Not much to trouble him and he could push up.
Nico Gonzalez: 6. Got involved in the attack.
Ilkay Gundogan: 7. Good range of passing and kept City moving with some searching balls into the box.
Savinho: 7. Classic City cutback to help open the scoring, threatened often down the right. Blazed over a great chance and had a superb shot saved one handed by Mads Hermansen. Slipped just as he was about to go clear on goal late on.
Jack Grealish: 7. Rare start, granted a central role and and grabbed goal from 12 yards out after 111 seconds.
Jeremy Doku: 6. Stayed wide on the left to stretch Leicester out. Had a penalty shout turned down but not much went down his side.
Omar Marmoush: 7. Very quiet start but rifled City further in front with a goal into the roof of the net. Set up Savinho for what should have been a third goal for City and had a goalbound shot blocked by Wout Faes.
James McAtee (on for Jeremy Doku, 78): No time to mark.
Oscar Bobb (on for Savinho, 85): No time to mark.
Vitor Reis (on for Josko Gvardiol, 90+1): No time to mark
Rico Lewis (on for Ilkay Gundogan, 90+1): No time to mark
GOALS – Man City 2, Leicester City 0
Man City 1, Leicester City 0: 2. Jack Grealish breaks the silence and the deadlock from 12 yards out, lashing home Savinho’s cutback from the touchline.
Man City 2, Leicester City 0: 30. Omar Marmoush reacts first and rifles the loose ball into the roof of the net after Mads Hermansen spilled a ball from Ruben Dias that Wout Faes failed to clear.
MATCH STATS – Man City 2, Leicester City 0
Man City: Ederson, Nunes, Dias (C), Gvardiol (Reis 90+1), O’Reilly, Nico, Gundogan (Lewis 90+1), Savinho (Bobb 85), Grealish, Doku (McAtee 78), Marmoush
Man City Subs not used: Ortega, Kovacic, De Bruyne, Silva, Foden
Bookings: Nico 80 (foul on Patson Daka)
Goals: Grealish 2; Marmoush 30
Leicester City: Hermansen, Faes, Coady, Thomas, Justin, Ndidi, Soumare (Pereira 76), Kristiansen (Okoli 60), Daka (J Ayew 81), El Khannouss (Buonanotte 60), Vardy (C) (Skipp 46)
Leicester City Subs not used: Stolarczyk, Mavididi, De Cordova-Reid, Coulibaly
Bookings: Vardy 33 (foul on Omar Marmoush), Justin 71 (foul on Omar Marmoush); Thomas 78; Skipp 89
Referee: Darren England