Manchester City provided Pep Guardiola some relief with a 2-0 victory over Leicester to secure just their second win in 14 games for the crisis-hit English champions on Sunday.
Savinho and Erling Haaland struck either side of half-time as City ended a run of eight away games without a win. Despite the victory, the performance was still far from the high standards that Guardiola’s side have set during their unprecedented run of four consecutive English top-flight titles.
However, Haaland’s effusive celebrations of his header 16 minutes from time showed that, for now, three points were all that mattered for the visitors to temporarily halt their remarkable slump. The win lifted City to fifth place, but they remain 11 points behind leaders Liverpool, who have two games in hand. Leicester’s defeat leaves them still rooted in the bottom three, having now lost their last four games since a bright start to Ruud van Nistelrooy’s reign.
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Guardiola made just one change from the 1-1 Boxing Day draw against Everton, bringing Kevin De Bruyne in for Jeremy Doku. De Bruyne’s fitness struggles have been a significant factor in City’s poor form, but he immediately showed what the team had been missing. Rico Lewis picked out De Bruyne, who cushioned a cross into the path of Haaland, but the striker’s low effort was well saved by Leicester’s stand-in goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk.
Leicester were left to feel regretted on their missed chances, as they appeared a major threat whenever they crossed into City territory during the first half. Jamie Vardy would have won a penalty if he had not strayed offside before being brought down by Stefan Ortega and James Justin’s header hit the post after a goalmouth scramble.
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However, City got the crucial opening goal in the 21st minute, when Stolarczyk parried Phil Foden’s long-range effort into the path of Savinho, who swept the rebound into the roof of the net for his first City goal. Leicester continued to press early in the second half, with Justin missing a close-range chance that allowed Manuel Akanji to clear off the line. Vardy then had the biggest opportunity to level the score, but he prodded over Stephy Mavididi’s brilliant in-swinging cross.
In the end, Leicester were hit by a City sucker punch, which ended the defending champions’ miserable run on the road. Savinho turned from scorer to provider, sending in a cross that Haaland powered home for his 19th goal of the season, ending his four-game goal drought and sealing the victory for City.
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