Pep Guardiola admitted Manchester City survived a nine-goal “rollercoaster” to stretch their lead to six points at the top of the Premier League.
City raced to a 4-0 lead inside 25 minutes, but Leicester hit back after the break, scoring three times in 10 minutes to reduce the deficit to 4-3.
But City regrouped and scored twice, Raheem Sterling claiming his second of the game with the final goal, to make it nine league wins in a row for Guardiola's champions.
"It was a rollercoaster, a typical Boxing Day game with lots of goals,” said Guardiola.
“For everyone, it was an entertaining game, but it was weird.
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“We were not in control in the first-half, even at 4-0, because every time they get the ball, they arrived in the final third to create chances.
“They moved a lot of players, they have a lot of quality and they are the masters of counter-attacks.
“Football is like this, it's unpredictable, and that's why it's so nice. The teams are good and, when that happens, they can do what they do.
“We didn’t play badly in the second half. Ruben Dias was not aggressive, because he was one yellow card away from being suspended, so he was more cautious.
“The game was not over, but with set-pieces, we could win the game."
Sterling's brace took his goal total to eight in his last 11 games and Guardiola said: “He's been so aggressive in the one against ones and his commitment to arrive to the box. He's been really good.”
