Manchester City kept the pressure on Premier League leaders Chelsea on Saturday with a narrow 1-0 win at Leicester City.
The only goal of the game came at the end of the first half when Frank Lampard flicked the ball home from close range following a Samir Nasri cross.
The result has kept the champions three points behind Chelsea, while Leicester remain rooted to the bottom of the standings after extending their winless run to 11 games.
Here, Sports Mole takes a closer look at the action between the two sides at the King Power Stadium.
Match statistics
LEICESTER
Shots: 7
On target: 1
Possession: 43%
Corners: 8
Fouls: 15
MAN CITY
Shots: 9
On target: 4
Possession: 57%
Corners: 2
Fouls: 13
Was the result fair?
Leicester will count themselves unlucky not to have come away with a share of the spoils after giving the visitors plenty of problems, but Manchester City dug in like champions to clinch a narrow victory that was probably deserved overall.
Leicester's performance
The Foxes played like a team with confidence, despite failing to win any of their previous 10 games. They struggled during the opening stages, but they soon grew into the match and were stretching the visitors with some dynamic, purposeful football. This continued into the second half, though Man City did a good job of quelling them during the final 20 minutes or so. An area of disappointment for manager Nigel Pearson will be his team's lack of finishing up front. The hosts carved out a total of eight chances, which is impressive against title contenders, but their failure to make anything of them played a big part in the result. However, the good news from a Leicester perspective is that the team is still fighting hard, and it is perceivable that the results will come sooner rather than later.
Man City's performance
This was far from vintage City, but they did enough to come away with three important points. Manuel Pellegrini's side were well below par during the first half as they failed to keep possession and were subsequently forced back into their own half by a spirited Leicester, yet they made the breakthrough on 39 minutes thanks to Frank Lampard's goal. There was certainly an improvement after the break thanks to some inventive attacking play and a focus on keeping the ball and using it well. They still had to defend doggedly a couple of times late on when Leicester threw the kitchen sink at them, but the visitors hung on to seal the spoils. While this match will refuse to live long in the memory, it could be one of their most crucial victories of the season come the end of the campaign.
Sports Mole's man of the match
Samir Nasri: The Frenchman continued where he left off against Roma in midweek, pulling Man City's strings from midfield. His movement often made it hard for Leicester to keep hold of him, while his assist for the winning goal deserves plenty of credit. There is still a petulance in Nasri that makes him hard to like, but there can be no denying that he is enjoying one of his finest spells in a Man City shirt.
Biggest gaffe
The hosts pushed hard for an equaliser late on, and they nearly found it when substitute Leonardo Ulloa had room for a shot inside a crowded Man City penalty area. However, the summer signing from Brighton & Hove Albion snatched at his effort, launching it high into the stand behind the goal.
Referee performance
Jon Moss was kept busy for much of the afternoon as the two teams competed fiercely for possession, but the official allowed the game to flow and be an entertaining, often end-to-end spectacle. His biggest decision came at the start of the second half when Jamie Vardy was felled by Eliaquim Mangala inside the box, though he was right to wave away the Leicester appeals.
What next?
Leicester: The Foxes are back in action next Saturday with a trip to high-flying West Ham United in the Premier League.
Man City: The champions continue the defence of their Premier League title next Saturday when they entertain Crystal Palace.
Jack Prescott
