City edge closer to title with win over Foxes

Dominating from start to finish, Pep Guardiola‘s side are now 17 points clear of second-place Manchester United with goals from Benjamin Mendy and Gabriel Jesus the reward for a commanding display at the King Power Stadium.

Four more wins from our remaining seven games and City will not be able to be caught.

What happened?

Leicester set up to play as the away side, sitting deep and absorbing pressure in a bid to try and catch City on the counter-attack.

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It’s always a risky tactic to allow City great chunks of possession and Fernandinho almost made the hosts pay with just five minutes played as he drilled a 25-yarder into the bottom left corner, only for Sergio Aguero
to be penalised for running across Kasper Schmeichel’s eye-line from an offside position.

Kevin De Bruyne then struck the crossbar from a free-kick on 23 minutes with Schmeichel again well beaten.

De Bruyne, Mahrez and Gabriel Jesus would go close again before the break, with the hosts offering nothing in attack until Jamie Vardy had an effort chalked off for offside with the last kick of a one-sided first-half.

The second-half took up where the first left off - City bossing possession, Leicester sitting back - until the 59th-minute when, finally, City broke through.

Mahrez saw a shot beaten out by Schmeichel and as a cross came back in from the right, the ball eventually fell to Mendy who shaped to shoot, cut inside Marc Albrighton’s challenge and stroked a curling shot into the bottom right corner for a goal that gave the keeper no chance.

15 minutes later, City wrapped up victory with a move that showcased the sublime passing of De Bruyne who sliced the Foxes apart as he sent Jesus clear - the Brazilian squared the ball to sub Raheem Sterling who feigned a shot, checked back inside and then returned the pass to Jesus to prod home from six yards.

There was no further scoring as City played out the  minutes that remained with little fuss.

City gain revenge over Foxes

Make no mistake, the 5-2 home loss to Leicester last September hurt City’s pride.
Losing any home game is painful, but to ship five goals and concede three penalties added up to a very bad day at the office for Pep’s men.

The way City have responded since has been remarkable - but there was unfinished business with the Foxes.

This evening’s victory against the third best side in England at present was yet another statement from a team who are powering their way to a
third title in four years - though there is still work to be done.

It was superb stuff from City.

What it means...

City are 17 points clear at the top of the Premier League.

What’s next?

City take on Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League quarter-final, first leg at the Etihad on Tuesday.

Then, it’s Leeds United who visit the Etihad next Saturday with the Premier League clash kicking-off at 12.30pm.

Pep reaction

“All the managers think the same - after the international break, how will my players be?

“All these players proved again how consistent they are. The run of games we have won in the last months – I am very pleased.

“We need four more victories to win the title. Now we rest and Dortmund is the next one.

“Yesterday the players came back and I spoke to some of them and some were tired - three games in 10 days, they travel a lot,” he said.

“So we tried to put on as many fresh legs as possible today. Except Nathan Ake, the rest of the players were in Manchester.

“The players who didn’t play the last game on international duty were ready to play.

“We were more patient against Leicester than the game at Etihad in September because they defend so well.

“It’s a good victory and another step.” 

Star man: Kevin De Bruyne
Finishing the season in superlative form. De Bruyne was sublime from start to finish.

Teams:

City: Ederson, Walker, Mendy, Dias, Laporte, Rodrigo, Fernandinho (c), De Bruyne, Mahrez (Torres 79), Jesus, Aguero (Sterling 63)

Substitutes: Carson, Stones, Aké, Gündogan, Bernardo, Cancelo, Foden

Leicester: Schmeichel, Fofana, Evans, Castagne, Amartey, Ndidi, Tielemans, Albrighton (Ricardo 71), Pérez, Iheanacho (Maddison 72(, Vardy

Substitutes: Ward, Choudhury, Mendy, Praet, Thomas, Daley-Campbell, Suengchitthawon

KDB reaction

“I thought we were really good today. Especially the first half we totally dominated.

“They had the chance with Vardy but in the first half there was basically one team playing.

“If you look at 90 minutes it was 2-0. I think we deserved more goals. After an international break, that’s really well done by the team.

“I came back Tuesday after the Belgium game and trained Thursday and half the team trained yesterday.

“All we can do is rest up, be ready for the games and the manager chooses the players who have been here the longest.

“When you win the game it’s always the right pick. The team did really well and I am really pleased.”

Stats zone

Between minutes 19 to 25 City made 53 passes  to Leicester’s zero.

City have now won 15 games in a row away from home.

City have won nine successive away league fixtures, scoring a total of 24 goals, and conceded just three.

Pep Guardiola‘s side have won 26 of their past 27 matches in all competitions, including a club record 15 consecutive away fixtures.

City have conceded just eight top-flight away goals this season, four fewer than any other side.

Gabriel Jesus, who turns 24 on Sunday, has five goals in his six Premier League games versus Leicester.