Manchester City 2 Leicester City 0
Post Match Analysis by Colin Hall
The views expressed in this report are the opinions of the Trust member nominated to file the report only and do not represent the views of the Foxes Trust organisation.
Few of the diehard Leicester City fans who made the midweek journey to the Etihad Stadium entertained thoughts of a victory at the home of the reigning champions.
But they hoped the Foxes would at least show spirit, pride and belief – qualities which have been absent all too often during this miserable and wretched season.
Unfortunately, such optimism once again proved to be misplaced, as Manchester City, although at far from full strength, barely had to break sweat during a 2-0 victory which was far more comfortable than the scoreline suggests.
To general disbelief, Ruud van Nistelrooy named a starting line-up which was identical to that which had performed so dismally in the previous league fixture some seventeen days previously.
It did not take long for the home side to undermine such faith. They showed their intent as early as the second minute, when a Marmoush header forced a save from Mads Hermansen.
Leicester’s relief was only to last a matter of seconds, though, as the midfield conceded possession immediately, enabling Savinho to waltz past the left side of the visiting back-line before setting up Grealish to give his side the lead for his first league goal of 2025.
The former Villa man thus became the latest in a disturbingly long line of topflight forwards to end lengthy goal droughts against one of the weakest defences this league has ever witnessed.
Previous Foxes sides had the capacity to recover from such an early setback, even against such illustrious opposition. This one, however, clearly doesn’t. A Bilal El-Khannouss effort that flew narrowly wide of the home goal proved to be the only serious threat the Foxes managed in the entire opening half.
The side were not exactly boosted by the bizarre decision to deploy Patson Daka, as a right-sided midfielder – a role that would have been far more comfortable for several other members of the visiting squad.
Meanwhile Jamie Vardy, retuning to a scene of significant past success, once again proved sadly incapable of repeating such glories. On the rare occasions he saw the ball, he was invariably dispossessed in an instant. It was hard to escape the conclusion that he had been unduly distracted by his wife’s latest courtroom disputes.
The visiting captain’s involvement in the game, such as it was, came to a merciful end at the interval when he was replaced by Oliver Skipp.
By this time, though the hosts had extended their lead, when Hermansen, in a rare blemish, dropped a cross at the feet of Marmoush, who gleefully blasted the ball home.
This goal was greeted with particular acclaim by those sections of the home support who had missed Grealish’s opener, many through involvement in a protest against the home club’s ticketing policies.
While we as Foxes may have sympathies with the fans’ cause – the policies at issue are not ones we would want to see at our own stadium any time soon – their indignation, some SEVENTEEN years after the Emirati owners first took charge of their club, might reasonably be viewed as a little belated, especially given the number of other practices in operation during their time in charge, still the subject of ongoing actions.
The introduction of Skipp, in preference to more attacking options available to the management, was a further signal that the side was focused far more on damage limitation than any serious intent on mounting a fightback.
With home manager Pep Guardiola, mindful of both his existing absentee list and the crucial local derby looming ahead, only too willing to acquiesce, the second half passed by in excruciatingly dull fashion.
In the closing stages, those Foxes who somehow managed to remain in the stadium were briefly tantalised by the possibility that the team’s goalless league streak, which has now lasted nearly TWELVE hours of playing time, may finally have been ended.
But sub Facundo Buonanotte, faced with a simple pass to give Jordan Ayew a tap-in, overhit the cross, thus squandering a chance to reduce the arrears and provide the long-suffering Foxes with at least one positive memory of the evening.
This was yet another moment of monumental ineptitude which Leicester fans have come to expect (and dread) from this squad, especially while the current incumbent, now drawing unfavourable comparisons with his Derby counterparts from 2007-08, remains in charge.
With little likelihood of any revival happening, even at Championship level, under van Nistelrooy, his departure from the club can only be a matter of time.
Yet until the errors which led to his appointment (and indeed, that of his predecessor) are recognised and addressed by the powers-that-be, the outlook ahead, in the short-term and beyond, will remain unremittingly bleak for the Blue Army.
Manchester City (4-2-3-1): Ederson; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol (Reis 90 + 2), O’Reilly; Gonzalez, Gundogan (Lewis 90 +1); Savinho Bobb 85), Grealish, Doku (McAtee 78); Marmoush. Subs not used: Ortega, Kovacic, De Bruyne, Silva, Foden.
Goals: Grealish (2), Marmoush (29).
Booking: Gonzalez.
Leicester City (5-4-1): Hermansen; Justin, Coady, Faes, Thomas, Kristiansen (Okoli 60); Daka (Ayew 80), Ndidi, Soumaré (Ricardo 76), El Khannouss (Buonanotte 60); Vardy (Skipp h-t). Subs not used: Stolarczyk, Coulibaly, De Cordova-Reid, Mavididi.
Booked: Vardy, Justin, Thomas, Skipp.
Referee: Darren England. VAR: James Bell. Attendance: 51 983