Premier League
Man City
Feb 6, 2016 12.45pm
1
3
HT : 0 1
FT
Leicester
  • Pablo Zabaleta 69' yellowcard
  • Fernando 72' yellowcard
  • Sergio Aguero 87' goal
  • goal Robert Huth 3'
  • yellowcard Wes Morgan 36'
  • yellowcard Danny Simpson 46'
  • goal Riyad Mahrez 48'
  • goal Robert Huth 60'

Live Commentary: Manchester City 1-3 Leicester City - as it happened

By | , Last updated:

Man City 1-3 Leicester - as it happened
© Getty Images

The Saturday lunchtime kickoff on matchday 25 in the Premier League was an absolute cracker as the top two, Manchester City and Leicester City, did battle at the Etihad Stadium.

It was the best home team versus the strongest away record and turned out to be a comfortable and convincing 3-1 win for Leicester, who now lead the Premier League by five points.

Relive another impressive Foxes win with Sports Mole's minute-by-minute updates below.

2.42pmThanks very much for joining Sports Mole this afternoon for yet another remarkable chapter in the story of Leicester City, edition 2015-16. I insist that you click around on site to find plenty more live Saturday-afternoon Premier League coverage. Enjoy!

2.39pmWhat a win! The Foxes go six points clear at the top of the table with a fully-deserved 3-1 win at the Etihad, where City are usually so formidable.

© Getty Images

90+5 minFULL-TIME: MAN CITY 1-3 LEICESTER

90+2 minFernandinho with a cross to the back post that has Schmeichel back-pedalling, but it drops wide and surely that's that now.

90+1 minA goal there would have made it VERY interesting in added time, of which there are four minutes.

89 minCHANCE! Simpson doesn't see Aguero and plays a backpass straight to the striker, who touches it around Schmeichel but too far and he loses his balance before shooting wide.

87 minLate consolation for the hosts as Celina crosses into the middle and Aguero thunders home a header for his 13th goal in 11 games. Watching it back, he looked clearly offside there.

87 minGOAL! MAN CITY 1-3 LEICESTER (SERGIO AGUERO)

85 minLEICESTER SUB: This game is well and truly over now as Ranieri makes his final change, swapping Albrighton for Dyer on the wing.

81 minLEICESTER SUB: And a change up top for the visitors, with Okazaki off and Leonardo Ulloa on.

81 minCLOSE! Albrighton again delivers, this time low to the near post where Vardy slams it into the side-netting. No goal for Vardy today, but he has been excellent once again.

78 minAlbrighton's crossing has been excellent today and he's just produced another gem, this time from the right, that City just about survived. Gray prefers to play on the left, so that's why Albrighton has swapped wings.

77 minSUBS: Both teams make a change, with Bersant Celina on for his Premier League debut in place of Silva for City, while Mahrez comes off for Demarai Gray for Leicester.

76 minA rare sight of goal for Aguero, but his first shot is blocked before he gets it back soon after and has another try deflected straight at Schmeichel.

75 minA reminder that City have won 16 of their last 19 Premier League games at the Etihad and only one team (Everton on January 13, 2016) have stopped them from scoring in the last 27 competitive matches at the Etihad Stadium!

73 minCLOSE! City know they are beaten and if one team's going to score any more it's Leicester. Fuchs whips it in and Vardy gets across his man before flicking a header wide of the target.

72 minBOOKING! Fernando cautioned for not letting Leicester take a quick free kick.

71 minJeers from the City fans as Albrighton comically slips and slices the ball away, but it was brilliant again from Leicester after winning it back. Even at 3-0 in front, Albrighton had three teammates up in support in the area. What a team!

67 minCHANCE! Vardy gets in behind the City defence and it's a wonderful ball from Drinkwater. Hart out quickly and he closes down the space before making the save.

66 minCity surely need a goal soon if they are to stage an unlikely fightback and they have a pop at goal, but Fernando's shot is blocked.

65 min"We want more!" chant the Leicester fans!

62 minReplays show that the corner should not have been given, but there was no way that Taylor or the officials could tell that Okazaki made the last touch as he and Demichelis slid in to meet a cross from Vardy. You can't have any qualms about a decision like that.

60 minUN-BE-LIEV-ABLE! Surely that's game over and top spot guaranteed for the weekend as Huth rises well at the back post to meet Fuchs's corner and head back across goal for his second goal of the game. This is incredible.

60 minGOAL! MAN CITY 0-3 LEICESTER (ROBERT HUTH)

57 minKante hesitant on the ball in the area and Sterling wins it back but then gets no power on his attempted shot.

56 min

54 minSAVE! What a stop! Fernando meets Silva's corner and heads low to the corner where Schmeichel sticks out an instinctive leg to keep the Foxes two to the good.

52 minCITY SUBS: Pellegrini acts quickly, taking off Toure and Delph for Fernando and Iheanacho. The hosts have to go for it now.

51 minCHANCE! Nearly three! Albrighton with one of his trademark inswinging crosses from the left that Okazaki gets a slight touch to. Any more than that and it was past Hart.

50 minMake that 14 goals and 10 assists for Mahrez this season. He's contributed to more goals than anyone else in the top flight this term.

48 minOh my word! Just like in the first half, Leicester score inside three minutes in the second and what a goal it is! Kante stays on his feet superbly in the middle before feeding Mahrez, who rides one challenge before producing a stunning step-over and right-footed finish.

48 minGOAL! MAN CITY 0-2 LEICESTER (RIYAD MAHREZ)

47 minCLOSE! Albrighton leads the Leicester charge, bringing the ball about 50 yards through the middle before feeding Vardy on the left. Vardy quickly returns it to his teammate, whose cutback fails to find a fellow black shirt.

46 minBOOKING! Second yellow card in the Leicester backline as Simpson upends Sterling.

46 minKICKOFF! Back underway at the Etihad, with no changes from either manager.

1.47pmWelcome back one and all. Just the one goal in the first half and we're ready to go again in the second, with both teams out early for the second 45. Can City respond, or will Ranieri's Leicester write more headlines?

1.34pmSo it's Huth's scrappy early goal that has the Foxes in front and going SIX POINTS CLEAR at the top of the Premier League. Should be a cracking second half and we'll be back in a quarter of an hour to guide you through it. Don't go anywhere!

45+3 minHALF-TIME: MAN CITY 0-1 LEICESTER

45+3 minLast-gasp corner for City, but it comes to nothing and that's that for the opening 45.

45+1 minThree minutes of added time. Can City equalise before the break?

45 minCLOSE! Awesome strength and awareness from Aguero as he stays on his feet and puts in a low cross-cum-shot that flies across the six-yard box and away.

45 minCity ending the half well here as Kolarov's shot is blocked out for a corner after Taylor played an advantage that City might have preferred as a free kick given its proximity to the goal.

41 minAnother shout for a City penalty as Albrighton bundles clumsily into Fernandinho. Taylor says no, but it certainly could have been given and completely unnecessary from Albrighton.

39 minLeicester continue to pressurise City without the ball and every time they win it back Vardy immediately spins off his man trying to get in behind.

36 minBOOKING! Leicester captain Morgan on the tightrope now as he goes through the back of Aguero.

36 minDrinkwater wins the ball back off Silva high up the pitch and quickly finds Albrighton out on the left. The former Villa man cuts inside and has a go, but that's a weak effort and simple for Hart.

34 minHaha! Kolarov likes to shoot and Leicester give him some space about 25 yards out, but this attempt is hilariously bad as he wildly slices it high into the stand.

33 minOne thing that is quite noticeable at the Etihad today is the amount of empty light-blue seats. This has been a great game so far between the Premier League's top two, so why is not selling out?

32 minSHOT! Aguero shifts the ball to his right to earn half a yard of space and he quickly fires at goal, but Schmeichel does well to hold the ball, especially in the wet conditions.

30 minSo as things stand Leicester are going six clear at the top and a whopping 13 points above Man Utd in fifth. Only an almighty collapse would deny the Foxes Champions League football next season, surely?

27 minSuperb again from Huth as he gets the tiniest of flicks on Sterling's cross to take it away from Aguero, who was completely unmarked and ready to nod home.

27 minLike a double espresso this is ☕️

25 minSHOT! It's wide on the right, but Kolarov can whip it with pace around the wall and it would be going on target but for Huth's superb flicked header to clear out for a corner.

24 minFree kick to City right on the edge of the box after Zabaleta was tripped. The hosts want a penalty, but it was so close and even hard to tell on the replay if it was in or not.

22 minCLOSE! How close can you get? Vardy beats Otamendi for pace and crosses low for Okazaki, whose close-range effort on the stretch goes wide.

21 minThe Foxes celebrate Huth's third-minute strike at the Etihad

© Getty Images

19 minFrenetic pace at the moment, it feels like it's 1-1 in the 89th minute on the last day of the season with both teams needing to win to stay up! Great stuff.

17 minWell at least we've had an early goal this time around. City are going to have to push for an equaliser and that should give Leicester the freedom they love on the counter. Will it be a case of who can outscore who?

15 minCLOSE! Leicester give Silva far too much space in the box and allow him to cut closer to goal on his right foot before his shot trickles wide of the target. The Spaniard wants a corner and you can see why watching the replay, but Taylor says goal kick.

13 minCity look SO nervous at the back. The ball almost breaks for Vardy in the box as City tentatively tip-toe around the Premier League's top scorer. Oh how the Citizens have missed Kompany this season. The Belgian had had a couple of shaky seasons but he looked back to his best this term before suffering his injury problems.

11 minFuchs swings over the resulting corner and it reaches Fuchs again, but this time it takes him by surprise and it was on his weaker left foot. City clear.

11 minCHANCE! Here they come again! This time it's Mahrez streaking forward on the break. He slips it through to Drinkwater, but once again Hart rushes out to meet the opposition and put it out for a corner.

9 minThat free kick puts Mahrez into double figures in the assist column this season. He's got 13 goals as well.

8 minCHANCE! The flag stays down as Albrighton dinks over the top for Vardy. The surface is so slippy out there so it quickly gets away from Vardy as he brings it down, so Hart is right there as he tries to stab home.

6 minSchmeichel out quickly to beat Sterling to a through-ball as City look to respond. Aguero isn't happy after being trodden on a moment ago, but he should be able to shake that off.

5 minWe know that Leicester are one of the most dangerous sides on the counter-attack and that will be helped by scoring such an early goal. Kante surges forward here but loses his footing just as he was about to feed Mahrez down the right.

4 minYou have to wonder what City are doing defensively there. Mahrez's ball was allowed to come in pretty low along the six-yard line before Huth turned home.

3 minWow! What a start for the visitors! It's Mahrez who dinks it into the middle and there is Huth to stab it home via a deflection off Demichelis. Incredible!

3 minGOAL! MAN CITY 0-1 LEICESTER (ROBERT HUTH)

2 minExcellent start from Leicester. Albrighton produces a fine cross from the left that Hart punches clear before Kolarov wipes out Mahrez just outside the right-hand side of the area. Excellent crossing position for the Foxes, with Mahrez, Fuchs and Albrighton all interested in taking it...

0 minKICKOFF! Leicester get us underway! Bring it on!

12.43pmJust before we get underway, a reminder that Leicester start the weekend on 50 points, three clear of City, who will go top if they earn victory today. North London duo Spurs and Arsenal complete the top four and they are both on 45 points after 24 games.

12.41pmGoodness me, the rain really is teeming down in Manchester as the two teams exit the tunnel. Leicester are in their all-black away kit today, with Anthony Taylor the referee in charge of proceedings.

12.38pmIt just can't be 0-0 again today!

12.35pmPREDICTION: Right then folks, time to make my sure-fire prediction with kickoff only 10 minutes away. Despite Leicester being top of the tree, City and Aguero should be too hot to handle and I'm backing the hosts to win 2-1.

12.32pmLeicester will do well to stop Aguero and City today - only one team (Everton on 13th January 2016) have stopped them from scoring in the last 27 competitive matches at the Etihad Stadium - but the Foxes have conceded just one goal in their last six Premier League games. Ranieri's men struggled to keep teams out in the first half of the season, but they've been very solid of late.

12.29pmThe reverse disappointed big time, but surely we'll get goals today? In Vardy, Aguero and Mahrez we have 45 of this year's Premier League goals, with Vardy having scored three in two and 12 of Aguero's 13 league goals coming in his last 10 appearances 🔥

12.26pmIt's a wet day in the North-West!

12.24pmAfter Chelsea (8), these two have the second and third-best unbeaten runs in the Premier League. City are without defeat in seven, while Leicester haven't lost in six.

12.21pmThe head-to-head record between these two suggests that it will be City who prevail today. The Citizens are unbeaten in their last nine matches against Leicester in all competitions (W5, D4) and the Foxes have failed to score in the last three league meetings.

12.18pmSTAT: As of today, Leicester have spent 47 days on top of the Premier League in 2015-16; only opponents Manchester City have spent longer in first place this season (100 days).

12.15pmGuardiola's impending arrival was the main point of discussion on The Dugout this week. Hit play below to have a listen, or find out how to subscribe so you never miss an episode here.

12.12pmEarlier this week it was transfer deadline day and although neither side made any last-gasp signings, it was City who stole all the headlines by announcing that Pep Guardiola would replace Manuel Pellegrini at the end of the season. HUGE news for the Premier League and City, who have undoubtedly secured the services of one of this generation's brighest managers.

12.10pmHOME AND AWAY: City have won 16 of their last 19 Premier League games at the Etihad (W16 D1 L2), while Leicester have lost just one of their last 15 Premier League away games (W9 D5 L1). *licks lips*

12.07pmHOWEVER, everyone though the same when these two last met just over a month ago at the King Power and it was one of those games where both sides approached it quite cautiously and it ended in a drab 0-0 draw.

12.05pmAs well as being able to see the full Premier League table if you click here, you'll also notice the home and away tables if you scroll down a little. City have the best home record, Leicester the top away haul. This should be an absolute belter today.

12.03pmAnyone who says Leicester should not be top of the pile is barking up the wrong tree. We are 24 games into the season now and the Foxes sit three clear of their opponents today and an impressive 10 above Manchester United outside the top four. Just look at this passing from Tuesday's win!

12.01pmThe Englishman was at it again in midweek, netting both goals in a convincing win over Liverpool. The first was undoubtedly a contender for goal of the season as Vardy volleyed spectacularly over Simon Mignolet from long range. What a season the former non-league frontman is having!

11.59amSTAT: Vardy has scored the opening goal of a Premier League game on eight occasions this season; more often than any other player.

11.57amSo there we go, the two teams are in and you'd probably say that both are as strong as they could be. City are still missing captain Vincent Kompany and the league's top scorer Jamie Vardy will be looking to thrive against the sometimes-shaky pairing of Nicolas Otamendi and Martin Demichelis.

© Getty Images

11.54amMuch more settled from Claudio Ranieri, who picks the same XI that started Tuesday night's 2-0 home win over Liverpool.

11.52amStarting with the home side, Manuel Pellegrini makes four changes to his starting lineup from the midweek win at Sunderland. At full-back, Pablo Zabaleta and Aleksandara Kolarov come in for Bacary Sagna and Gael Clichy, while further forward it's Fabian Delph and Raheem Sterling for Jesus Navas and Kelechi Iheanacho.

11.50amLEICESTER XI: Schmeichel; Simpson, Morgan, Huth, Fuchs; Mahrez, Kante, Drinkwater, Albrighton; Okazaki, Vardy
Subs: Schwarzer, King, Gray, Ulloa, Dyer, Wasilewski, Chilwell

11.48amCITY XI: Hart; Zabaleta, Otamendi, Demichelis, Kolarov; Toure, Fernandinho, Delph; Silva, Sterling; Aguero
Subs: Caballero, Clichy, Sagna, A.Garcia, Fernando, Celina, Iheanacho

11.46amGoooood morning sports fans! Matchday 25 in the Premier League begins with an absolute corker as the top two do battle at the Etihad. LOADS to get through before kickoff in an hour, but let's start with the breaking team news...
Author photo

Written by

Share this article:

People mentioned in this article :

Teams mentioned in this article :

Manchester City related articles
Football related articles
Subscribe to our newsletter

Get FREE daily news and in-depth previews for games from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football — straight to your inbox.

Subscribe