Leicester vs Man City LIVE: Result and reaction as Haaland ends goal drought in vital City win
Leicester 0-2 Man City: Savinho and Haaland find the net as Pep Guardiola’s side are forced to work hard but notch just a second victory in 14 games
Manchester City ended their five-game winless run as Pep Guardiola celebrated victory in his 500th game in charge with a 2-0 success at Leicester City.
Savinho’s first-half goal and an Erling Haaland header after the break earned a much-needed three points for the faltering champions at the King Power Stadium.
It was just their second Premier League victory since the end of October, but the frailties of the last two months – where they lost nine of their previous 13 matches – were still on show.
Leicester provided a stern test and might feel they could have got something out of the match as Facundo Buonanotte hit the post and Jamie Vardy missed a key chance at 1-0 down. The Foxes have now lost four in a row and their bounce under new boss Ruud van Nistelrooy was restricted to two games as they remain in the relegation zone.
Relive all the action from the King Power Stadium in our live blog below:
Leicester 0-1 Man City, 27 mins
Man City win the corner but a cross to the edge of the area comes to nothing. They probe again and Silva dinks a cross into Haaland, 12 yards out, but he can’t generate the power on his header to trouble Stolarczyk. Straight into the hands of the Leicester stopper.
Leicester 0-1 Man City, 24 mins
Here’s the thoughts from our man on the ground, Richard Jolly
A belated first Manchester City goal for Savinho in his 24th game. He has hit the woodwork, won penalties, drawn saves and been guilty of glaring misses. Now, finally, he has found the net to prompt some gallows humour from the crowd. "City's staying up," came the chant.
GOAL! Leicester 0-1 Man City (Savinho, 21 mins)
Savinho has his first goal for Man City in the Premier League! Neat link-up between Lewis and Foden, with the latter shooting from 25 yards. It’s an awkward bouncing shot and Stolarczyk dives to his right to push it away but straight to Savinho.
The winger still has a bit to do, to the left of the goal, but finishes neatly past the scrambling keeper. Stolarczyk has to do better with the Foden shot – push it wide or away – but take nothing away from the clever finish.
SAVE! Leicester 0-0 Man City, 19 mins
Leicester have actually been on top for the last 10 minutes and the Foxes fashion another chance. It’s terrible by Gvardiol who isn’t aware of his surroundings and plays a ball back way too short for Ortega.
The ever-lively Vardy nips in and rounds Ortega but the angle’s tight and as he shoots, the Man City goalkeeper sprawls back and blocks the shot wide. That was close!
Leicester 0-0 Man City, 16 mins
Leicester have had a bit more possession since those one-sided early exchanges. And Man City certainly look there for the taking on the counter-attack.
Neat build-up from the Foxes and a reverse pass finds Vardy who turns Ake inside out and surges into the box before a covering Lewis hooks the ball away. The flag then goes up against Vardy, who was narrowly offside again.
Leicester 0-0 Man City, 12 mins
Thoughts on the opening exchanges from our man on the ground in Leicester, Richard Jolly.
Reasons for optimism and pessimism for Manchester City so far. Kevin de Bruyne has brought creativity, particularly to set up a chance for Erling Haaland, and looks prominent. But the penalty that wasn't – when Stefan Ortega upended an offside Jamie Vardy – showed how open they are and how susceptible they look to every counter-attack in the extended absence of a defensive midfielder.
CLOSE! Leicester 0-0 Man City, 10 mins
Wow, what a let-off for Man City! They’re caught on the break, Vardy is clean through on goal and Ortega takes him out as he tries to round him.
It’s a clear penalty but the visitors are reprieved because Vardy was marginally offside from the ball through. Lucky, lucky Man City.
SAVE! Leicester 0-0 Man City, 8 mins
Probably should be 1-0 to Man City. De Bruyne with space down the right, found by a nice chipped pass from Lewis, the Belgian pulls the ball back for Haaland who hits it first time from 12 yards out but Stolarczyk sticks out a leg to make the save.
Either corner and that was in for Haaland!
Leicester 0-0 Man City, 6 mins
Nice move by Leicester and Mavididi has room on the right. He cuts in and tries to curl a shot into the far right corner but doesn’t bring it back and it goes well wide.
A slight warning for Pep Guardiola’s visitors though
Leicester 0-0 Man City, 5 mins
The pattern you’d expect from this match so far with Man City almost exclusively having possession in this opening five minutes. When they give the ball away, they immediately win it back and De Bruyne shoots from 25 yards but it’s harmlessly over the top.
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