Manchester City came out 6-3 winners against Leicester City in a goal fest in the Premier League on Sunday to stay at the top.
In the first half, it might have looked like Manchester City had made quick work of the Foxes. However, things took an unprecedented turn for them in the second half.
Manchester City led by four goals in the first half and were barely threatened on goal. However, they went through a horrific 10-minute spell in which they conceded three goals against Leicester.
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Thankfully for Cityzens, the paper-thin Leicester defense was not as strong as their hearts. Leicester’s problems in dealing with set-pieces persisted as Aymeric Laporte’s header restored Manchester City’s two-goal cushion. Raheem Sterling added a sixth after Ruben Dias bullied Leicester’s defense aerially to set up a tap-in for the Englishman.
The win ensures that Manchester City will remain at the top of the Premier League table irrespective of the other results.
Manchester City Player Ratings vs Leicester
Ederson 7/10
The Brazilian conceded three goals but neither of them was out of his own doing. He made a brilliant save off James Maddison’s free-kick in the first half. He then made another save from a quickly taken free-kick off Kelechi Iheanacho.
Joao Cancelo 5/10
Although he did create Gundogan’s goal, Cancelo looked to be off his normal mojo. Defensively, he was as responsible as all his peers in conceding the second half goals. Offensively, strangely enough, he made zero passes which led to a shot and completed zero crosses. A rare day off for the Manchester City full back.
Ruben Dias 5/10
Didn’t have much to do in the first half but when the onus came on him in the second half, he failed to keep Leicester at bay. Both of Leicester’s opening two goals were avoidable had Dias got his positioning sorted to intercept. However, he did assist Raheem Sterling for the sixth goal, winning the aerial in the attacking box.
Aymeric Laporte 6/10
Laporte was no better than his defensive peers in the 10 minute spell when Manchester City looked shaky. He slipped in the build-up to the first goal and had a comical clearance attempt before Iheanacho tapped-in the third Leicester goal. But he made amends by giving Manchester City their fifth goal which calmed their nerves and also won a penalty.
Oleksandr Zinchenko 5/10
Zinchenko had 100 touches in the game but that was nothing but redundant. He didn’t manage to create any danger offensively for Manchester City. He was at the center of Leicester’s counter attacks but failed to make either tactical fouls or interceptions. He also left Albrighton unguarded in the box for a glancing header which luckily for the Ukrainian went slightly wide.
Fernandinho 6.5/10
A rare start for the Brazilian this season and one in which he did his best. He did enough dirty work in midfield for Manchester City. He also created their first goal with a chip over the in-field for Kevin de Bruyne.
Bernardo Silva 7/10
Bernardo Silva was unlucky not to convert one of the many scrappy sequences in the first half. He provided a decoy run for De Bruyne to turn away and score the first while doing his usual pressing duties up to his best. He could have had an assist had Sterling managed to steer his pass goalwards but Peter Schmeichel thought otherwise.
Ilkay Gundogan 7/10
Gundogan converted the tap-in created by Cancelo’s move with ease and was unlucky not to score off a corner sequence created by Manchester City. Decent game for the German but he might want to get more on the ball. Like De Bruyne, his level dropped in the second half.
Riyad Mahrez 8/10
Mahrez was a constant source of danger throughout the game. His penalty was dispatched effortlessly into the top corner and his corner in the second half swung in perfectly for Aymeric Laporte. An overall good game for the Algerian.
Kevin de Bruyne 7/10
De Bruyne was on song in the first half, scoring their opening goal beautifully. He was part of various passing exchanges that kept the Foxes on the ropes. Didn’t manage to keep up in the second half and was taken off.
Raheem Sterling 8/10
Sterling had his best game in quite a long time. He was a real threat down the left flank. Brendon Rodgers had to bring in Timothy Castagne in the second half to keep him in check. He won a penalty and scored that in the first half while adding another late goal off Ruben Dias’ header which fell kindly for him.
Substitutes:
Phil Foden: 5/10
Subbed in for Kevin De Bruyne in the 70th minute but had a quiet 20 minutes of play with nothing much to show for the highlight reels. (AF)
