Man City 2-0 Leicester (29 Dec 2024) Match Analysis

On December 30, 2024By Littum

Savinho and Erling Haaland scored to give Manchester City a much-needed 2-0 win at Leicester City on Sunday, the champions’ first win in five Premier League matches.

The result meant Pep Guardiola celebrated his 500th game in charge of City with victory in what is proving to be one of the most difficult periods of his successful career.

City’s second win in 14 games across all competitions saw them climb two places to fifth in the Premier League standings with 31 points, 11 behind the leaders Liverpool who has two games in hand. Leicester remain in the relegation zone in 18th place.

Savinho scored his first goal for City in the 21st minute when he pounced on a rebound from Phil Foden‘s long shot past the Leicester goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk pushed the ball into his path. The Brazilian international shot into the roof of the net from a tight angle.

Savinho (V) and Erling Haaland both scored on Sunday.

Haaland, who has scored just two goals in eight league games in the worst stretch of his Premier League career, doubled City’s lead in the 74th minute when he headed home a looping cross from Savinho, who latched on to a pass from Kevin De Bruyne.

However, the victory was far from a walkover.

Leicester’s fans screamed early on on penalty kicks Jamie Vardy found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper Stefan Ortega from a counterattack. Ortega brought down Vardy in the box, but Man City were saved by the offside flag.

Josko Guardiol almost cost Guardiola’s side a goal in the first half with a disastrous header back to Ortega that was intercepted. City’s disorganized back line saw Facundo Buonanotte clap a shot off the crossbar minutes later.

Leicester had another glorious chance early in the second half when Vardy headed into the box and James Justin got a touch on it that looked led into the net before Manuel Akanji cleared it off the line.