Top game in the Premier League: Manchester City turns chase duel against Leicester

Bundesliga

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While Liverpool in the table was playing for the title at the Club World Cup, Manchester City and Leicester City played the chase duel on matchday 18 of the Premier League. Leicester is second in the table as the surprise team of the season in England's top division and had only lost twice until they met City. Pep Guardiola's team changed this and won their second league game in a row with a 3-1 (2-1) home win. For the hosts met Riyad Mahrez (30th minute), Ilkay Gündogan (43rd, penalty) and Gabriel Jesus (69th). Jamie Vardy (22nd) had initially put Leicester in the lead (22nd).

Manchester City made the game first, after a post from Kevin De Bruyne (13th minute), everything indicated an early lead for the hosts - but Leicester countered: Harvey Barnes sent forward Vardy on the left, who ran Fernandinho away and lifted the ball in sixteen over City's keeper Ederson. It was the 17th goal of the season for Leicester's top scorer. Manchester reacted immediately: A long ball from Benjamin Mendy landed on the right wing at Riyad Mahrez. The left hit against his former club, the ball was deflected by Çalar Söyüncü unsustainable for keeper Kasper Schmeichel. Shortly before the break, Ilkay Gündogan turned the game through a converted penalty kick.

At half-time, City's dominance was clear: 13: 3 shots on goal for Manchester, more than twice the number of passes played (321: 143), almost 70 percent possession. After the restart, City temporarily relieved the pressure, but the guests made too little of their ball possession. Only in the 61st minute did the Foxes come dangerously in front of the opposing goal. However, Barnes did not hit the Vardy cross properly and had to be replaced injured after the subsequent collision with Ederson. Schmeichel initially saved his team with a strong parade against Mahrez (66.), when Gabriel Jesus got to the ball from a short distance after a nice solo by De Bruyne, he was powerless.

The victory brought City up to one point (38) on Leicester. The gap to league leaders Liverpool is still eleven points for the champions in one game more.

Manchester City 3-1 Leicester City (2-1)
0: 1 Vardy (22.)
1: 1 Mahrez (30th)
2: 1 Gündogan (43rd, penalty)
3: 1 Gabriel Jesus (69th)
Manchester: Ederson - Walker, Fernandinho, Otamendi, Mendy - De Bruyne (90 + 1.), Gündogan (79. Rodrigo), Bernardo Silva - Mahrez, Gabriel Jesus, Sterling (89. Foden)
Leicester: Schmeichel - Ricardo Pereira, Evans, Söyüncü, Chilwell - Ndidi, Ayoze Perez (68th Gray), Tielemans (77th Praet), Maddison, Barnes (64th Albrighton) - Vardy
Referee: Dean
Yellow cards: De Bruyne, Gündogan - Söyüncü, Ndidi