City back to winning ways with hard-fought win over Leicester | OneFootball

City saw off a spirited Leicester City with a goal in each half enough to secure a welcome 2-0 win at the King Power Stadium.

Savinho put the Blues on the way with a goal on 21 minutes, and though the Foxes came close on several occasions, Erling Haaland sealed our first win in six matches with a powerful header on 74 minutes.

It was the perfect way to end 2024 and a victory will give City a huge boost after a difficult last few months.

What happened?

With just one change from the team that started against Everton, City started confidently against Leicester.

There was a verve and zip to our passing in those opening minutes and it could have resulted in a goal after just seven minutes as Rico Lewis found Kevin De Bruyne on the right and his pinpoint cross into the box found Erling Haaland who saw his low shot saved by Jakub Stolarczyk.

A foot either side of the Foxes’ stopper and it would have almost certainly been a goal.

There was a fright three minutes later as Jamie Vardy burst clear and appeared to be pulled down by Ortega Moreno – thankfully, the assistant referee’s flag was raised and none of it mattered.

Though the Blues had largely been in control, on 19 minutes the home side came close again as Josko Gvardiol’s headed back pass was intercepted by Vardy who saw his angled shot saved by Ortega Moreno.

City hit back immediately with a move that will have delighted Guardiola – and resulted in the opening goal of the game.

It was a thing of beauty as a rapid interchange of passes between De Bruyne, Lewis and Foden resulted in the latter firing a low shot from 25 yards out.

Stolarczyk saved it, but could only push the ball to the left and Savinho reacted first, racing in to plant a shot hight into the top right corner for his first goal for the club.

City continued to boss proceedings, but there was a reminder again of the threat Leicester posed on 31 minutes when Bilal El Khannouss sent a temping cross into the box and Facundo Buonanotte was inches away from levelling the scores.

The Blues again responded to that near miss positively as Haaland picked up the ball outside the box, drove past four challenges into the box before striking a low shot a foot the wrong side of the post.

And in keeping with the ebb and flow of the game, Leicester came close again just three minutes later as a period of head tennis ended with Buonanotte striking the post.

From the resulting clearance, a powerful run for Haaland saw the Norwegian find Foden who returned the favour but the home side managed to clear their lines.

WATCH: Watch: Pep reaches 500 games as City boss

It was end-to-end stuff again after the break with chances at either end.

Manu Akanji cleared off the line on 62 minutes as the home side came close again and there was a feeling that Ruud van Nistelrooy's men were starting to build up a head of steam.

Indeed,  on 68 minutes, Vardy could and should have levelled for the home side as Stephy Mavididi's superb cross found the Foxes legend but his decision to  try and guide a volley home rather than head the ball resulted in a looping effort that went over.

City would punish Leicester for that miss in devastating fashion.

Sub James McAtee produced a delightful piece of skill on the right flank to start a counter-attack that saw De Bruyne find Savinho and the Brazilian's cross was powerfully headed home by Haaland.

The relief was palpable and the celebrations ecstatic both on and off the pitch.

There were half-chances for both sides in the time that remained, but the second goal knocked the stuffing out of the hosts and the Blues ran out worthy winners with a good, solid performance at the King Power - and a very welcome victory.

WHAT IT MEANS...

City move up to fifth in the Premier League - though that is likely to change by the end of the weekend with other teams in action around us.

The win ends a run of eight away games without a win, and ends a run of five matches without victory for the Blues.

WHAT'S NEXT?

City are next in action on Saturday, 4 January against West Ham United.

The Premier League clash at the Etihad kicks off at 15:00 (UK).

There will then be a week's break before we host Salford City in the FA Cup third round, with the kick-off 17:45 on Saturday 11 January.

line-ups

LEICESTER XI: Stolarczyk, Justin (Choudhury 70), Vestergaard, Coady (Okoli, 85), Kristiansen, Winks (Daka 85), Soumare, Mavididi, Buonanotte, El Khannouss, Vardy

Subs: Thomas, Skipp, Alves, Wilson-Brown, De Cordova-Reid, Iversen

CITY XI: Ortega, Lewis, Akanji, Ake (Walker 70), Gvardiol, Kovacic, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Savinho, Foden (McAtee 65), Haaland

Subs: Grealish, Doku, Gundogan, Simpson-Pusey, Mubama, O'Reilly, McAtee, Carson

WATCH: Watch: Memorable City moments against Leicester

Player of the Match: Savinho

Wonderful display by the young Brazil winger who has so much promise.

To score his first goal will have done him the world of good and his movement and industry were a constant threat to the Leicester defence.

His assist for Haaland capped his best display yet for City, with much more to come.

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