The Fox and Hounds got their just desserts at the Etihad. This horrible collection of people that masquerades as a football team were shown the way as the much more accomplished Manchester City destroyed the Indian sign they have held over Manchester’s Blues for the last couple of years.
Leicester City, the little club that gained the hearts of the nation, myself and Sue excluded, could not kick, push, shove and jersey tug their way to victory against a team that this time were ready for them.
Guardiola finally selected an unchanged side for this match which meant that Sergio Aguero, fit again, would have to live on the bench as Gabriel Jesus took his shirt as the lone striker. With Caballero guarding the sticks, Fernandinho, Kompany, Otamendi and Clichy ahead and behind Yaya, the Blues got their defence right for this fixture. This left Silva and De Bruyne to pull the strings behind the Trident of Sterling, Jesus and Sane.
It took Ndidi less than two minutes to implant the Leicester trade mark on Fernandinho, going straight through the back of his legs in similar fashion to the way in which Vardy “did” Van Dijk. It took Benalouane fourteen minutes to drop his studs on Gabriel Jesus’ recently injured foot. The pattern of Leicester’s repertoire was emerging.
City, though, were not in the mood to be bullied today. Setting off well on the front foot the Blues started almost immediately to create chances with Sane and Sterling both getting a look in. Fernandinho disappointingly couldn’t steer a free header into the net. The usual crudities of sliding blocks, lean and mean tackles and the usual array of skullduggery awaited City at more or less every turn and quite how Albrighton got himself to minute 75 before seeing an admonishment from the referee was a mystery to me. There were the usual gang tackles in the corners and by the touchlines as backs-to-the-wall Leicester couldn’t get out. The toe-bunger up to that despicable creature that goal hangs wasn’t working and the only time he did get free he couldn’t outpace Otamendi.
Silva searched creatively for the gaps and as Leicester couldn’t deal with the pace of Sterling and Sane, maybe those were the routes to take. De Bruyne was also getting in on the act, but City seemed to be wasting everything and not really troubling City reject Schmeichel.
It finally arrived on the half hour. Sane used his pace on the left, pretty well unattended. He had Sterling at the far post and Silva sprinting into space in the inside right position. His pass found Silva who promptly opened the scoring. By now Sterling had drifted offside and attempted to steal the goal. He missed the ball, the flag stayed down and City were on their way as screaming Schmeichel found fault with everything except his awful positioning which left the other side of his goal naked and allowed Silva to cash in.
Referee Madley was trying to keep the game in motion, which meant that at times the Fox and Hounds got away with too many of the darker arts they appear to have mastered but even he couldn’t turn down Benalouane’s crude impersonation of a combined harvester as he simply chopped down Sane.
Senior professional Yaya handed the ball to Gabriel Jesus who had Schmeichel flapping in one corner as the Brazilian calmly stroked the ball into the other and the points were in the bag. Fittingly, Yaya was the first to congratulate the new boy.
City were strolling towards half time 2-0 in front, with Leicester looking far from dangerous. But as is City’s wont, something always goes wrong and just ahead of the break, something did. A long Crossfield pass found Albrighton alone on City’s right. His first time ball into the box missed out Kompany and as Otamendi slipped Okazaki reduced the arrears with a well-taken goal which belied Leicester’s previous fayre.
This was the signal for Leicester to try to get into bullying mode and the next goal was going to be vital, but the early signs in the second half were that it wasn’t going to go to City. Albrighton managed to get himself flattened within the laws of the game running onto Fernandinho’s elbow and took his retribution some time later, gaining himself a yellow card and substitution.
But then came the game’s most controversial moment. Mahrez, absent for the first hour, saw a route into the corner of City’s penalty area, but as the ball was getting away from him, Clichy offered him a leg and Mahrez gratefully accepted it and fell to the 4G. Madley couldn’t point to the spot quick enough and up stepped Mahrez, effectively to equalise.
As he approached the ball, his standing leg slipped and as he kicked the ball with his left foot it hit his right foot and wrong-footed Caballero. The Leicester celebrations were cut short though as Madley, so far blind to most things actually saw the double contact and City were reprieved.
The last half hour was a nervy affair but Yaya was majestic in midfield and Leicester couldn’t bypass the sky blue giant. By now Vardy took on the persona of an impotent weasel having selected the wrong channel in which to try to germinate all afternoon. He clearly thought that Fernandinho would leave the door open on City’s right, giving him a free go at Kompany, but today the Brazilian got it right by playing in front of Kompany and denying Vardy anything. He did get lucky the one time he switched sides, but if this is the nation’s best centre forward, no wonder England are effectively rubbish.
City should really have won this match in more emphatic style. Late on Aguero was sent on and he twice took things on when better placed colleagues had an empty route to the back of Schmeichel’s net. Obviously, with Jesus stealing his place and taking and scoring a penalty, Sergio wanted to get himself on the scoresheet, but it wasn’t to happen.
The referee managed to generate seven minutes of stoppage time which with an injury to Otamendi lasted nearly ten, but City managed to stay safe leaving themselves on the edge of finishing third in the league and safeguarding their route to the group stages of next season’s Champions League.
If this was to be Yaya’s penultimate match at the Etihad, then what a performance he put in. He was simply awesome, taking everything in his stride and putting in a stint of tackling and moving the ball quickly to Silva and De Bruyne. City looked the business without really cementing the result their play deserved but on the positive side it is clear that Leicester do not like it being put up them but the Blue Mooners were able to applaud as Schmeichel bleated.
It is reported this morning that Zabaleta has agreed to join West Ham next season. Over nine years Zaba has signified the lionheart that breathes within City’s fans and he will be a sad loss. All things come to a conclusion in football and this much loved footballer, who has given his all at the Etihad will always receive a warm welcome should he return in another club’s colours.
Two more matches to go and as things stand, two wins secure third place. City have no excuses. The matches are both winnable.
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