JUST when Manchester City were in a real spot of bother – trust Gabriel Jesus to get them out of it. Pep Guardiola’s club are still reeling from the two year Champions League ban handed down by UEFA just over a week ago. The Etihad chief then watched his side squander yet another penalty – […]
JUST when Manchester City were in a real spot of bother – trust Gabriel Jesus to get them out of it.
Pep Guardiola’s club are still reeling from the two year Champions League ban handed down by UEFA just over a week ago.
The Etihad chief then watched his side squander yet another penalty – meaning his team have now missed five of their last seven.
And key defender Aymeric Laporte walked off shaking his head less than an hour into this game – just four days before a crunch trip to Real Madrid.
So step forward Jesus to put a smile back on a few faces by stabbing in the winner within a couple of minutes of climbing off the bench.
Surely it nails down second spot for City this season – although whether that counts for anything more than a few extra quid remains to be seen.
However two wins in the last few days mean Guardiola’s men begin a pivotal week in good heart.
They also secured another clean sheet – which will be vital if they are to have any chance of toppling Madrid in the next few weeks.
Mind you, they enjoyed more than their share of good fortune to get it.
Laporte gave the ball away through ball with Youri Tielemans picking it up and slipping through Vardy.
He comfortably outstripped Fernandinho and clipped the ball over Ederson but saw it bounce back off the post.
Nobody was more surprised than Brendan Rodgers who was already celebrating before realising they had been denied by the upright.
The former England striker has not scored since his goal at the Etihad just before Christmas. It would have done his confidence good had that one squeezed in.
Former Leicester hero Riyad Mahrez was a huge part of the Foxes fairytale title triumph in 2016 – yet the ‘Algerian prince’ was jeered by some of the home crowd.
The £60 million man could have given the visitors the lead when he cut in from the right and curled a left footed shot by Kasper Schmeichel made a flying save.
The visitors knew a win here would put a gap of seven points between them in the race for second place – and seemed keen to get all three points.
Some neat build up play involving Kevin de Bruyne and Sergio Aguero created a chance for Ilkay Gundogan.
But the German midfielder lacked conviction and his weak effort was saved by the legs of the home keeper.
Leicester hit back as James Maddison saw a curling free-kick pushed away by Ederson – after skying one high over the bar a few minutes earlier.
Then came a moment of controversy as Maddison cleverly chipped the ball into the City box and Ederosn collided with Kelechi Iheanacho.
It was some clash and the home fans wanted a penalty but referee Paul Tierney was not moved – and VAR saw no reason to get involved.
Replays showed Ederson punched the Foxes man in the chest and perhaps he was lucky to get away with it.
The former City striker failed to reappear after the break – with Harvey Barnes coming on to replace him.
Schemichel once again came to the rescue of the home side as Rodri led a breakaway and found De Bruyne on the edge of the box but he got down superbly to stop.
Guardiola had picked a surprisingly strong side given the week that lies ahead for his team – and the way Laporte came off just before the hour suggests he may live to regret it.
The French defender walked off shaking his head and was replaced by Nicolas Otamendi.
If he is injured again it would be a huge blow ahead of Real Madrid and the Carabao Cup final next Sunday.
Even so City continued to come forward and got their penalty – courtesy of VAR when Dennis Praet was adjudged to have handled Gundogan’s shot.
It looked harsh so perhaps justice was done as Aguero’s well struck penalty was superbly parried away by Schmeichel. That’s four in a row City have missed in the Premier League now.
Mahrez then slipped Aguero through on goal again a couple of minutes later and this time the Dane – who began his career at the Etihad – saved with his legs.
It was starting to look like he would not be beaten and his team-nearly nicked one at the other end but for Otamendi’s last ditch tackle on Ricardo Pereira.
Aguero was hauled off to make way for Jesus and within three minutes he had notched the winner.
Mahrez brilliantly ran at the heart of the Foxes defence before slipping the ball in to Jesus who finally worked out a way to beat Schmeichel.
“City’s going down with a billion in the bank’ sang the jubilant away fans Whatever the future holds for this club, they are determined to enjoy it.
