Vincent Kompany scored a long-range stunner to down Leicester City 1-0 and put one hand on the Premier League trophy for Manchester City.
Pep Guardiola’s side were frustrated for long periods at the Etihad Stadium on Monday but found a way through thanks to captain Kompany’s sensational strike.
Kasper Schmeichel was given no chance by Kompany’s rocket in the 70th minute, with City moving back above Liverpool, a point ahead in top spot in the Premier League table.
City, now on a run of 13 consecutive league wins, will defend their Premier League title if they collect another three points at Brighton and Hove Albion on Sunday.
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Kompany made a superb block to repel Ricardo Pereira as the hosts made an understandably nervy start.
Sergio Aguero scored the winner at Burnley with a goal that only marginally crossed the line but Schmeichel made a great save to claw the striker’s header away after it hit the crossbar.
Chances were at a premium but Raheem Sterling should have opened the scoring in the 53rd minute, misjudging his jump for a header and sending the ball flying off target.
Ilkay Gundogan curled a 20-yard strike narrowly wide but Leicester were posing a threat on the break, James Maddison missing the target at the end of a counter-attack.
Schmeichel brilliantly denied Aguero again in the 69th minute but he was left helpless in the face of an unstoppable goal from the unlikeliest of sources.
Kompany drove into space from the back and thundered an unbelievable finish into Schmeichel’s top-left corner from at least 25 yards out to spark wild celebrations.
Leicester’s resistance broken, City were able to see out the match, although their former striker Kelechi Iheanacho missed a great late chance to level.
City are now one more win away from becoming the first team to defend the title for a decade.
Kompany comes up trumps
City’s skipper has lifted the Premier League trophy before but if Guardiola’s men complete the job next weekend Kompany can reflect on a match-winning moment out of the very top drawer.
His team had looked uncomfortable under the pressure for large spells of the game but Kompany settled things with a truly unstoppable shot. It was City’s 100th home goal of the season, but few have been more memorable.
