Man City vs Leicester LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction today
Follow all the fallout from the Etihad Stadium
Manchester City host Leicester City at the Etihad Stadium this afternoon as part of the Premier League’s Boxing Day action.
With Covid hitting the schedule hard, Brendan Rodgers’ side face an uphill task to stop the defending champions.
With Pep Guardiola’s side hitting top form and with the opportunity to move six points clear at the top of the table, the Foxes will need to show immense character after a crushing penalty shoot-out loss to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup. Leicester are ninth in the table and can close the gap on those above them in the European spots, with Tottenham in seventh just four points ahead.
City can make it eight straight domestic wins today as both Liverpool and Chelsea struggle to keep pace, with Bernardo Silva in scintillating form after inspiring another dominant win last time out against Newcastle. Guardiola has also urged supporters to continue doing their bit to ensure games do not return to behind closed doors, while also helping to ensure society is as safe as possible: “I want to trust the people who know and they say this is the safest way – take a vaccine. People don’t die when they take a vaccine. Wearing a mask is so important, like social distancing and hand sanitisers, so let’s try to do it. Otherwise, it may (come back) again and again and again.”
Follow all the post-match reaction from the Etihad Stadium and re-live goal updates from a Boxing Day thriller:
Man City 4- 0 Leicester
28 mins: There have been a few glimmers of hope for Leicester but they can’t keep the ball long enough to string together a persistant attack. The visitors win a corner that Maddison whips into the box. Ruben Dias gets to it first though and heads the ball clear.
GOAL! Man City 4 - 0 Leicester (Sterling, 25’)⚽️
25 mins: Raheem Sterling blasts his spot kick into the top right hand corner. Schmeichel guesses the correct way but can’t get a hand to the ball. This is emphatic from Man City!
Penalty to Man City!
Man City 3 - 0 Leicester
24 mins: Raheem Sterling weaves into the box from the left and shimmies around Tielemans. The Leicester midfielder sticks out a leg and hacks Sterling to the ground. This one is a clear penalty and Sterling himself is going to take it.
GOAL! Man City 3 - 0 Leicester (Gundogan, 21’)⚽️
21 mins: It’s three! Fantastic play from Manchester City who string together about 20 or so passes to work the ball up to Bernardo Silva. He slots a pass to De Bruyne on the edge of the box and he flicks it out to Joao Cancelo overlapping on the right wing. Cancelo squares a pass into the six-yard box, Schmeichel dives low to get to the ball but parries it to llkay Gundogan who taps in from close range.
Man City 2 - 0 Leicester
17 mins: Close! Leicester win a free kick just outside the City box, right on the tip of the ‘D’. James Maddison takes the set piece and goes for goal. He curls his shot around the wall and forces Ederson into a one-handed save. He palms the ball up and onto the crossbar where bounces back into play to Mahrez who pumps it behind for a corner.
GOAL! Man City 2 - 0 Leicester (Mahrez, 14’)⚽️
14 mins: Riyad Mahrez steps up for Manchester City and coolly smokes the penalty kick past Kasper Schmeichel. Man City double their lead inside of 15 minutes. This could be a long day for Leicester.
Penalty to Man City!
Man City 1 - 0 Leicester
12 mins: City win a corner and the ball is whipped into the box. Youri Tielemans grapples with Aymeric Laporte and both players go down. Tielemans has his arms wrapped around Laporte and the incident goes to VAR.
The referee is called over to the monitor, takes a look at it and then points to the spot. Harsh on Leicester I think.
GOAL! West Ham 0 - 1 Southampton
7 mins: Mohamed Elyounoussi has given the Saints the lead at the London Stadium. Kyle Walker-Peters drives the ball to the edge of the box and has options in the middle. He picks out Elyounoussi in the middle who blasts it into the back of the net.
GOAL! Norwich 0 - 1 Arsenal
Arsenal have taken the lead against Norwich with Bukayo Saka meeting a cross from Martin Odegaard and finding the back of the net. The Gunners have started strongly with Gabriel Martinelli and Alexandre Lacazette combining well in the build-up.
GOAL! Man City 1 - 0 Leicester (De Bruyne, 5’)⚽️
5 mins: That didn’t take long! Fernandinho lifts the ball over the Leicester defence as De Bruyne makes a run into the box from deep. He brings the ball under control and spins away from a tackle. Bernardo Silva runs into the right side of the area to provide an option and draws away the centre-back. De Bruyne shifts to the left, turns towards goal and slots a left-footed effort into the far bottom corner!
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