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Man City stop the rot with victory at Leicester

football29 December 2024 16:28| © AFP
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Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said relief was his overriding emotion after a 2-0 victory at Leicester secured just a second win in 14 games for the crisis-hit English champions on Sunday.

Savinho and Erling Haaland struck either side of halftime as City ended a run of eight away games without a win.

The performance was still far from the standards that Guardiola's side have set in winning an unprecedented four consecutive English top-flight titles.

But the effusive celebrations of Haaland's header 16 minutes from time showed that three points was all that mattered for the visitors to at least temporarily halt their remarkable slump in Guardiola's 500th game in charge

"It is not enjoyable right now, it is just relief. We have done incredible things for many years," said Guardiola.

"We have done a lot of things that will be in the memory forever and maybe this period, which feels like a 100 months, will make us realise how nice it was and hopefully we can come back, maybe not be what we were but more close than now."

"Today we won and this is what we needed for our minds and souls."

Victory lifts City up to fifth but they are still 14 points behind leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand.

After a bright start to Ruud van Nistelrooy's reign, Leicester have lost their last four to fall into the bottom three.

The Foxes were left to rue not taking their chances to inflict more misery on a City side still showing a clear lack of confidence.

Any time the home side crossed into City territory in the first half they appeared a major threat.

Jamie Vardy would surely have won a penalty had he not strayed offside before being brought down by Stefan Ortega, while James Justin's header hit the post after a goalmouth scramble.

City, though, got the crucial opening goal on 21 minutes.

Jakub Stolarczyk should have done better than to parry Phil Foden's long-range effort into the path of Savinho, who swept the rebound into the roof of the net for his first City goal.

Chances continued to come and go for Leicester early in the second half.

Justin should have levelled but his mishit finish from close range allowed Manuel Akanji to clear off the line.

Vardy then had the biggest chance to level when he prodded over Stephy Mavididi's brilliant in-swinging cross.

"We created those moments in a great way, there was some excitement going on," said Van Nistelrooy, himself a prolific goalscorer in his playing days.

"As a striker, you know you need a bit of luck in taking those chances, but that is where the game is decided."

However, Leicester were hit by a City sucker punch to end the defending champions' miserable run on the road.

Savinho was the creator this time as his cross perfectly picked out Haaland who powered home his 19th of the season, ending a four-game goal drought for the Norwegian.

"It's always a relief when you score, it was an important goal to go 2-0 up," said Haaland.

"It's been a difficult time, now it's New Year's – five or six days till the next game. It's the longest time in a long period so we can rest a little bit."

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