Here’s Jamie Jackson’s match report.
FULL TIME: Manchester City 2-1 Leicester City
The free kick comes to nothing. Manchester City try to break upfield through Sane, with the Leicester goal unguarded. The move breaks down, but it doesn’t matter! That’s that! Manchester City hold on, and go third, two points above Liverpool, Champions League football next season now very much in their grasp! They were brilliant this time last week against Crystal Palace. They were again today for about 40 minutes. After that, it was all about hanging on, and they were thankful that Riyad Mahrez somehow managed to double-kick his second-half penalty, rendering it invalid. On another day, the outgoing champions Leicester might have got something here. But as it is they stay ninth. And the Etihad breathes out in relief! Not bad entertainment, huh?
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90 min +8: Silva is booked for stopping Mahrez as the Leicester man makes good down the right. A free kick, a chance for Leicester to load the Manchester City box, a last roll of the dice. Schmeichel comes up for it.
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90 min +7: Gray curls in a cross from the left. Ndidi clatters into Caballero. A free kick for City, though we probably still have at least a minute of this game still to run after the Otamendi injury.
90 min +6: All a bit scrappy. The hosts are happy to break up the play. Leicester meanwhile are rushed into mistakes.
90 min +5: Jesus overload: Navas comes on for Gabriel.
90 min +3: A long throw from the Leicester left leads to some head tennis in the Manchester City box. The hosts clear. Silva should send Aguero away, but not for the first time today his final ball is poor. Leicester break back upfield, Vardy tearing clear down the right after being released by a fancy Mahrez flick. But upon entering the box his pass selector goes haywire and a great chance is spurned.
90 min +2: There might be more than seven added minutes now, because the first two are spent treating Otamendi and Jesus, both of whom are down with medical issues. To be fair to Otamendi, he took a clatter on the noggin while defending Ndidi’s shot, and is all taped up as a result.
90 min: Another poor clearing header by Otamendi. The ball falls to Ndidi, who has chance to shoot from 20 yards. To Otamendi’s credit, he redeems himself by leaping in front of the shot, and the danger is deflected away. There will be seven added minutes.
89 min: Vardy and Otamendi battle down the Leicester right. The ball looks like it’s clanked off the striker and out for a goal kick, but a corner’s awarded. Nervous moments for Manchester City, but they deal with the set piece easily enough.
87 min: Manchester City hog the ball in the midfield, then take their sweet time over a free kick. The clock is their friend.
85 min: Mahrez skips past Jesus down the right, then feeds Simpson who reaches the byline and finds Vardy with a low pass at the near post. Vardy tries to flick it into the net from a tight angle, but can only send it wide right of the goal. Manchester City are making hard work of closing out this victory.
84 min: Aguero, on the fifth anniversary of his greatest moment, is booked for standing in the road of a quickly-taken Leicester free kick.
83 min: Aguero Maradonas his way down the inside-right channel. He nearly fashions space to score, but Chilwell stands firm and that’s a corner. Silva takes, receives the ball back, and curls it onto the head of Kompany, eight yards out. The big defender can’t keep his effort down, and it sails harmlessly over the crossbar.
82 min: Zabaleta comes on for De Bruyne.
80 min: Albrighton clatters straight through Fernandinho. Payback time for that earlier elbow. He’s booked, and immediately hooked by Craig Shakespeare. Gray comes on in his furious stead.
78 min: To Mahrez’s great credit, he doesn’t complain too much, though that’s got to sting. Aguero comes on for Sterling.
77 min: Astonishing scenes! Mahrez slips backwards as he addresses the ball. He sends it into the top left, but he’s kicked it against his right-hand boot en route to the goal. A double hit, and that’s disallowed! Free kick for Manchester City! The correct decision, but an awful break for Leicester, who haven’t had the rub of the green today.
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Penalty for Leicester City!
76 min: Vardy latches onto a poor Otamendi clearing header and plays the ball out right to Mahrez, who twists and turns, enters the area, and is clumsily upended by Clichy. No question!
74 min: The corner’s a non-event, the ball ending all the way back at the feet of Caballero. A new attack is launched down the left, and Clichy ends up snatching at a shot from 25 yards, the ball sailing harmlessly wide right of goal.
73 min: Before the set piece is taken, Okazaki is replaced by Slimani.
72 min: Sane has a shot from 20 yards towards the bottom left. Schmeichel snaffles. Manchester City come again, Fuchs clattering into Jesus down the right. He’ll be booked for that, but beforehand, Sterling latches onto the loose ball, breaks into the area, and has a shot from a tight angle. It’s deflected out of play by Benalouane for a corner.
70 min: Manchester City come back at Leicester, Silva striding into acres down the left. But with the visitors light at the back, and Jesus free in the middle, he very uncharacteristically misplaces his cross. Toure tries to revive the attack with a shot from distance, but it’s weak.
69 min: Leicester are first to everything right now. Okazaki latches onto a loose ball in the midfield and nearly sends Albrighton clear down the left. Then Chilwell slide-tackles a dithering Sterling, which nearly gets Amartey going down the right. Manchester City snuff out both attacks before things get serious.
68 min: Leicester replace King with Amartey.
66 min: Albrighton is incensed after Fernandinho’s elbow crunches into his eye. He’ll have one hell of a shiner in the morning, because there’s quite a lump already up. To be fair to the Manchester City man, it looked accidental, though you can forgive the victim for not seeing it that way.
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64 min: Fernandinho twists his way past Chilwell on the right. He finds Toure on the edge of the area. Toure’s blooter is blocked, allowing Okazaki to zip upfield on the counter. He’s fouled slyly by De Bruyne. No booking. This is good end-to-end fun. Next goal wins?
62 min: Silva strides into space down the left and shuttled the ball further forward for Sane. The young winger bursts into the box and whips a menacing ball through the six-yard area. Problem is, neither Sterling nor Jesus has kept up with play. Leicester were open at the back there. An attack that may at least spark Manchester City back into life?
60 min: Vardy outmuscles Toure, of all people, by the centre circle and very nearly sends Okazaki on the break down the right wing. Not quite. But that’s some wonderful old-school scrapping from Vardy. Leicester’s players and manager were talking a lot before the game about their desire to finish in the top ten. After a cold start, they’re playing now like they mean it.
58 min: Chilwell slips a clever ball down the left channel for Okazaki, who earns a corner with a low, fizzing cross. The set piece doesn’t lead to anything of import, but it does betray Manchester City’s current nervous state; a bit of head tennis in the box, the defence taking a while to clear, and in an uncertain, messy style to boot. The business end of the season, right here.
56 min: Manchester City are still enjoying the lion’s share of possession, but there’s a sense of Leicester getting right back into this game nonetheless. Vardy embarks on another purposeful run down the right but can’t quite break clear.
54 min: In fact, that cross has given Albrighton a bloody nose, and he’s down getting industrial/comical levels of cotton wool inserted into both nostrils.
52 min: Manchester City try to re-establish some control with a period of sterile domination in the midfield. Sterling eventually breaks ranks with a run down the right. His cross smacks into the busy Albrighton’s coupon. Oof! Ooyah! Sterling has the brazen chutzpah to ask for a penalty for handball, but he’s not getting that one.
50 min: Manchester City look collectively nervous. Chilwell dances down the left and beats a couple of men before being cynically checked by Kompany on the halfway line. The Manchester City captain is booked for his trouble.
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48 min: All a bit scrappy in the early stages. And another chance for Albrighton, found eight yards out by a Vardy right-wing cross, but he can’t connect cleanly with his volley and that’s that.
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And we’re off again! No changes. Leicester start the second half confidently, Albrighton having an ambitious dig from distance. The home supporters are slightly nervous and quiet right now.
Half-time reading: White Hart Lane closes its doors for the final time in its current guise tomorrow. David Hytner spoke to players, the club historian and a fan about their misty water-coloured memories of this grand old stadium. It’s a cracking read. Enjoy, enjoy.
HALF TIME: Manchester City 2-1 Leicester City
Okazaki threatens to dribble clear down the centre. Then Mahrez has a look out wide on the right. In the end, the half-time whistle came at a bad time for Leicester, who were beginning to threaten a suddenly unsure Manchester City. This is perfectly poised now, especially when you consider the mild controversy over the opening goal. Leicester will come out with renewed fire in their bellies. Can Manchester City counter? It’s going to be a blast finding out. The second half promises much. Go nowhere!
44 min: So much for Leicester’s desperation to hear the half-time whistle, and for the air of contentment settling around the Etihad. Pulitzer, please! And since you’re here, etc.
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WHAT A GOAL! Manchester City 2-1 Leicester City (Okazaki 42)
But the three points aren’t done and dusted quite yet! There appears no danger when Albrighton picks up possession on the left. Then he curls a fine cross into the centre. It’s dropping towards the penalty spot. Kompany misjudges the flight, and Otamendi slips. That allows Okazaki to twist his body and send a screaming volley into the net, Caballero beaten by the sheer speed and violence of the strike. Leicester are back in it!
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40 min: An air of contentment settles around the Etihad. Manchester City have found their groove and the Champions League is within touching distance now.
38 min: Leicester are desperate to hear the half-time whistle. They can’t get out of their final third. Manchester City are relentless right now. They’re well worth their two-goal lead.
GOAL! Manchester City 2-0 Leicester City (Jesus 36 pen)
Toure wants to take the penalty on his birthday. Let’s hope someone’s bought him a cake, because he’s forced to step aside for Jesus. It’s the correct decision, as the astonishing young man gives Schmeichel the eyes, sends him the wrong way, and calmly slots the penalty into the bottom left!
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Penalty to Manchester City!
35 min: Silva slips a pass down the inside left channel. Sane dribbles into the area and is unceremoniously upended by a clumsy Benalouane lunge. No question about that! The defender is booked.
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33 min: De Bruyne earns a corner down the left off Simpson. Sane takes the corner. Benalouane heads clear with ease. On the touchline, Craig Shakespeare is still arguing the toss over the goal with the fourth official. He probably should let it go and start screaming at his team instead; they’ve lost their defensive discipline since the goal.
31 min: And it’s nearly a penalty kick, as Silva slips a pass down the inside-right channel Fernandinho bursting into the area. Fuchs leans into the Manchester City man. From behind? From the side? The referee decides the latter, and to be fair Fernandinho doesn’t complain at all.
GOAL! Manchester City 1-0 Leicester City (Silva 29)
Well this had been coming. Sane goes on a manic dribble down the left. He hooks a cross towards the far post. Silva, 12 yards out and level with the right-hand post, slaps a simple shot into the right-hand side of the net! Sterling swings a leg at it, and might be the width of his shirt offside. Does he connect? Leicester think so, and there’s a period of confusion while a row takes place. But it would have been harsh to rule that out. It’s not clear Sterling took a touch. Plus, benefit to the attacker and all that. It’s a goal!
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27 min: Toure finds Sterling down the right with a lovely pass. Sterling then outstrips Chilwell brilliantly. He’s clear in the area! He smashes the ball through the six-yard box, hoping to find Jesus for a tap-in, but Mahrez hooks the ball back upfield a little. Clichy and Sane both have opportunity to return it with venom, but hesitate a little. Sane’s eventual shot is deflected out, and once again the corner doesn’t lead to much.
25 min: De Bruyne has a whack from 25 yards. It’s not the cleanest strike, but it twangs off Benalouane’s knee, and for a second looks like heading for the top left, Schmeichel stranded with feet planted. To Leicester’s great relief, the ball flies wide of the post, and the corner isn’t all that. Manchester City are getting closer and closer, though.
23 min: Clichy, out on the left, crosses for Sterling, who looks to sidefoot into the top left from the penalty spot. Ndidi gets in the road to deflect out for a corner; the set piece isn’t anything to write home about. Manchester City are well on top here.
22 min: Guardiola is pacing the touchline with a look of concern etched across his brow. He shouldn’t be too concerned; his team are enjoying 70% of possession right now.
21 min: From the Manchester City corner, Schmeichel claims and pearls a long kick down the left for Vardy to chase. The striker tussles with the backtracking Clichy, and is slightly fortunate to earn a free kick after what looked like a 50-50 shoulder barge. The free kick is in a dangerous position, a chance for Leicester to load the box. But it’s headed clear easily enough by Otamendi.
19 min: ... Silva bustles down the inside-left channel, reaches the byline and pulls back for Sane on the left-hand corner of the six-yard box. He should get a shot on target, but scuffs a low cross through the six-yard box instead. Fuchs taps out in a panic for another corner.
18 min: Clichy crosses low from the left. The ball clanks off Mahrez and out for a corner, though Schmeichel is convinced he’d kept it in. And from the set piece ...
16 min: A free kick for Manchester City out on the right. The hosts load the box, but De Bruyne hits an uncharacteristically poor one, failing to beat the first man, and King clears.
14 min: Toure is given a stern talking to after sliding through the back of Okazaki. It should have been a booking, really, but the ref’s just let King clatter Jesus to the floor without reprimand, so he’s trying his best to keep things fair.
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13 min: Manchester City knock it around the middle of the park awhile in the trademark Arsenal Guardiola style. They don’t go anywhere.
11 min: Leicester launch a long ball down the middle. Otamendi’s clearing header isn’t up to much, and it allows Albrighton the opportunity to send a dipping volley goalwards from 25 yards. It would have taken some strike to whistle that one into the net, to be fair, and this isn’t some strike. It’s easily gathered by Caballero.
9 min: And now it’s Leicester’s turn to spurn a glorious headed chance! Chilwell earns a corner down the left - he’s the real deal, this lad - and the set piece drops towards Ndidi, unmarked, six yards out! He has to force Caballero into a save at the very least, but he’s leaning back and sends a terrible effort miles over the crossbar. This really should be 1-1.
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8 min: De Bruyne is found tight on the right by Toure. He curls a majestic low cross into the Leicester box, Jesus a toenail away from connecting on the slide, ten yards out. Schmeichel gathers.
5 min: This is a bright start. Sane, in an advanced position down the left, pulls the ball back for Clichy, who swings a high one into the area for De Bruyne. Benalouane does very well to get his nut on the cross before De Bruyne can plant a header into the net. Leicester City look a bit unsure of themselves, much as you’d expect of a team with a rejigged defence.
4 min: ... it really should be 1-0 to Manchester City. The corner’s whipped to the near post, and Fernandinho rises six yards out. He’s unchallenged, and should score, but he doesn’t even hit the target, his header bounding off to the left of the goal. Leicester break upfield, and for a second it looks as though Vardy’s stripped Otamendi down the inside-right channel. He can’t muscle clear, though he is able to have a shot from the right-hand corner of the box. He doesn’t connect properly at all.
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3 min: Silva slips a pass down the left for Sane to romp onto. He crosses low with a view to finding Jesus (behave) but Fuchs steps in to clatter the ball out for a corner. From which...
And we’re off! Both teams will be thinking of times past: it was five years ago to the day when Sergio Aguerrrrrrrroooooooo scored against QPR to secure Manchester City’s third English title, while Leicester are no longer the reigning champions, Chelsea having swiped their title last night. Or maybe they’re still champions until the end of the season, that seems a fair way to go about things on an official basis. Either way, you get the general point. Anyway, Okazaki gets the ball rolling, and it’s not long before the exciting Chilwell probes down the left. But his ball inside is no good. Manchester City counter through Fernandinho down the right, but he runs out of room. A nice open start!
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The teams are out! Manchester City sport their famous Cambridge blue, while Leicester City are in their equally storied royal blue. It’s a first-class, first-choice aesthetic delight. An expectant atmosphere rumbles around the City of Manchester Stadium. We’ll be off in a minute! Woo hoo!
Pep Guardiola talks! “We had a long week to recover, so I have named an unchanged team.” He’s informed that this is the first time he’s done that in the Premier League. “The first time, huh? You’re welcome!” And then onto serious business. “Every game is a new one. We are in a position where we cannot drop points. Sergio Aguero is ready to go if we need him. Leicester have some problem absences, but the basis of their idea is the same. We have a new champion, but the last championship was theirs, and apart from Kante this is the same team, the same philosophy. They defend good, they are so fast with their strikers, they are well organised, they are fighters, that’s why they were champions.”
Craig Shakespeare speaks! “Christian Fuchs will move across from left back to centre back, and Ben Chilwell will come in at left back. Christian’s experienced, he’s got 70-odd caps for Austria, he’s played there before. It allows Ben to come in, and he’s got pace and enthusiasm to burn in the left-back area. Our form and morale is good. We come under a stern test today. We have good offensive players, Jamie Vardy is in a good run of scoring goals, Riyad Mahrez can create, Marc Albrighton can create, Shinji Okazaki can create. We have to be mindful of City’s threats, but we also know what we are good at. Other teams have tried, it was difficult for Palace last week, we have to be resilient and aware on the transition. But it’s about what we do today. We’ve spoken about trying to finish as high as possible.”
No changes for Manchester Cit ... hold on ... no changes to a Pep Guardiola team? Eh? Well, if it ain’t broke ... and they did belt Crystal Palace with this line-up last Saturday lunchtime.
Leicester City meanwhile are forced into two changes to the team sent out to batter Watford last weekend. Last season’s two-goal hero Robert Huth has a foot problem, while Danny Drinkwater is out with a thigh strain. In come Ben Chilwell and Andy King.
The teams
Manchester City: Caballero, Fernandinho, Kompany, Otamendi, Clichy, Toure, Sane, De Bruyne, Silva, Sterling, Gabriel Jesus.
Subs: Zabaleta, Fernando, Nolito, Aguero, Kolarov, Jesus Navas, Gunn.
Leicester City: Schmeichel, Simpson, Benalouane, Fuchs, Chilwell, Mahrez, King, Ndidi, Albrighton, Okazaki, Vardy.
Subs: Musa, Amartey, Kapustka, Slimani, Zieler, Gray, Wasilewski.
Referee: Robert Madley (West Yorkshire).
Good morning!
Leicester City arrived at the Etihad last February three points clear at the top. They still weren’t being taken totally seriously as title contenders, mind you, which seemed fair enough: there was still a third of the season to go, plenty of time for one of the usual behemoths to usurp them, right? How about Manchester City, in fact? A win would see them leapfrog Leicester on goal difference, plant doubts in their heads, and surely put an end to any daft talk of an unprecedented Premier League fairytale. Surely?
At which point Leicester ran riot. Robert Huth, of all people, scored twice, Riyad Mahrez contributed a solo wonder strike, and the Foxes won 3-1, a scoreline that seriously flattered the hosts. It was a statement of intent which took Leicester six clear, instantly turning them from an unlikely mid-season curiosity into title favourites. Everything felt different. Everything was different. Suddenly, Leicester believed they could do it. Perhaps even more vitally, so did all their opponents. It was on!
This year’s edition can’t possibly live up to that. But this fixture can shape another season, because this time round it could prove rather important to the hosts. Three victories in Manchester City’s final three games will guarantee trophyless Pep Guardiola at least third place and Champions League football next season, the bare minimum requirement for a superstar manager. His side have found form at the right time: having rediscovered their mojo last weekend in thrashing Crystal Palace 5-0, they’ll be quietly confident of meeting that modest target.
Only problem is, Leicester are in pretty decent nick themselves. They’ve won eight of their 13 fixtures under Craig Shakespeare; are coming off the back of a 3-0 win over Watford; and will have warm memories of Manchester City’s visit to the King Power back in December, a Jamie Vardy-inspired 4-2 win, another scoreline which seriously flattered the Citizens. Still, City remain strong favourites going into this one. But then we said that last year, too, and look what happened then. A cracker awaits us! It’s on!
Kick off: 12.30pm.
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