Leicester 0 Man City 2: Erling Haaland breaks his duck as visitors get their first win in SEVEN games
MANCHESTER City finally stopped the rot.
But not the questions about their short and long-term future.
In normal times, Pep Guardiola’s side would have cruised to victory after taking a first-half lead through Savinho’s first goal for the club.
Instead, Leicester sensed the champions’ uncertainty and would have grabbed the equaliser they deserved if Jamie Vardy had converted a golden chance.
It took an Erling Haaland header, City’s first effort on target of the second half, to kill the game,
The brilliant away fans gleefully sang “We’re staying up” and “You’re going down with United” after Haaland’s 15th goal of the season.
But on this showing, Leicester have more chance of avoiding the Championship than City do of finishing in the Champions League spots.
Both these teams were looking to their captains for inspiration.
Kevin De Bruyne‘s return to the starting line-up was the only change for City from the draw against Everton.
Vardy was fit again for Leicester after missing the defeat at Liverpool.
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De Bruyne had already sent one shot over the bar when Rico Lewis’s pass found him deep in the Foxes’ box.
The cross for Haaland was perfect and the striker’s connection was good, but the shot was close enough to home goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk for him to save with his legs.
Leicester were happy to sit back and absorb pressure before attempting to hit City on the break.
Vardy thought he had won a penalty when he ran onto Facundo Buonanotte’s through ball, went round Stefan Ortega and was felled by the City keeper.
But the former England striker had strayed offside.
A real chance came Vardy’s way in the 19th minute. He intercepted Josko Gvardiol’s poor header but the angle was narrowing all the time and he could not beat Ortega.
City prompty went down the other end and scored.
Foden drifted inside and hit a shot which Stolarczyk could only parry sideways.
Savinho followed up and lifted the ball into the net to break his duck at last.
In the past, that would probably have been it.
But City have not been doing routine wins of late, regularly going ahead only to draw or lose.
Leicester could have drawn level when Bilal El Khannouss sent in a teasing cross from the right but Vardy decided he could not make decisive contact and no-one else did, either.
Swift punishment almost followed again, but Haaland fired wide after an uncharacteristic solo run.
The Foxes fans were nonetheless beginning to sense a way back and when City failed to clear, Buonanotte hit the post with a header.
The on-loan Brighton forward was worrying City again soon after the break.
But after turning back inside Nathan Ake, Buonanotte chose to topple backwards under the challenge rather than cross the ball.
Referee Michael Oliver – rightly – decided not to award a penalty.
El Khannouss was also giving Guardiola’s team plenty to think about and sent a dipping effort over the crossbar.
The first proper chance fell to right-back James Justin.
After a free kick, Conor Coady crossed, Vardy headed back across goal and Justin sent the ball goalwards with an improvised flick.
Manuel Akanji came to the rescue, clearing from just in front of Ortega’s right-hand post.
But the City keeper was helpless when Stephy Mavididi crossed into the six-yard box.
Yet Vardy could only help the ball over the bar from point-blank range.
By now it was City playing on the break and they made one count.
De Bruyne found Savinho and the Brazilian’s cross reached an unmarked Haaland, who headed powerfully back across Stolarczyk and into the net.
There was still time for Leicester substitute Hamza Choudhury to send in a dangerous cross but no one in dark blue had the legs or the will to get on the end of it.
Vardy looped a late header onto the junction of bar and post.
He and Leicester will know that they let City off the hook.