Manchester City produced yet another dominant performance in a victory at Leicester that extends their wide advantage at the top of the Premier League.
Pep Guardiola’s side picked up where they left off before the international break as they recorded a 16th consecutive win in all competitions, set on their way by Gabriel Jesus’ tap-in.
His opener came from David Silva’s pass, after the Spaniard was sent through by Raheem Sterling’s disguised through ball just before the end of a wasteful first half.
After the break, Harry Maguire struck the post for Leicester via Fabian Delph’s deflection but Kevin de Bruyne’s thumping finish from Leroy Sane’s cut-back just moments later put City firmly in control.
Their lead at the top of the table is now nine points – although Manchester United can narrow it to eight with victory at home to Newcastle in Saturday’s 17:30 GMT kick-off.
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City will, however, be concerned by an apparent hamstring injury suffered by defender John Stones in the first half.
The new Invincibles?
Speaking on Football Focus earlier on Saturday, Martin Keown, a member of Arsenal’s ‘Invincible’ side of 2003-04, said he believes City will go unbeaten all season.
“I don’t see anyone who is going to stop them,” he said. “They could get complacent but Guardiola will stop at nothing. He is a serial winner who didn’t win anything last year, so he wants to win everything this year.”
Spaniard Guardiola actually spent most of the first half with his head in his hands as he watched Silva, Sane and Sterling fail to score despite a series of excellent chances.
He also witnessed his captain Kompany – returning for the first time since an August calf injury – scythe down Jamie Vardy in a clumsy challenge that drew a yellow card when Leicester’s players were arguing for a red, as only John Stones was in with a chance of covering his goalkeeper.
Shortly afterwards, Stones was forced off and replaced by Eliaquim Mangala after pulling up in pain, holding the back of his thigh having over-extended in a race for a long ball over the top.
But when the first goal finally came, Guardiola was purring. He appeared to mouth ‘wow’, perhaps reacting to Sterling’s delightful pass to Silva, maybe marvelling at Silva’s composure in picking out Jesus, or more likely the sheer brutal and beautiful simplicity of the move as a whole.
This victory at the King Power stadium lifts unbeaten City onto 34 points, with a goal difference of +33.
