Leicester City vs Manchester City: Ricardo Pereira stuns Pep Guardiola’s side into second successive defeat

Premier League title challenges can unravel incredibly quickly and, in the space of just five days, Manchester City’s defence of their crown has reached the brink of implosion.

A second festive defeat, this time to a spirited Leicester City, has left Pep Guardiola’s side seven points adrift of Liverpool and staring at calamity in a season that, until a week ago, had looked to be progressing serenely.

So was yesterday’s display at the King Power Stadium as, despite an evident lack of swagger, the defending champions had eased into a 1-0 lead through Bernardo Silva.

His 14th-minute strike looked set to restore equilibrium to a title tilt that had wobbled on Saturday with defeat to Crystal Palace.

Yet Marc Albrighton’s equaliser just five minutes later and a chaotic spell just before half-time should have served as a warning to Guardiola’s players.

They appeared to have listened and pressed for much of the second half but were caught cold with eight minutes remaining when Ricardo Pereira struck a spectacular winner.

When Fabian Delph was sent off near the end, City had a ragged appearance rarely seen in Guardiola’s reign.

There had been little incident of note when, in a subdued atmosphere at the King Power Stadium, the visitors took the lead with a stylish goal on 14 minutes.

Aymeric Laporte’s pass into the feed of Sergio Aguero allowed the forward to take a touch before feeding Bernardo Silva.

He made the most of Ben Chilwell keeping on onside by maintaining his composure and rolling a low shot past Kasper Schmeichel.

Yet Guardiola’s men were stunned just five minutes later as a promising attack broke down and they fell victim to a simple but effective counter attack.

The visitors were unhappy with the power of Ben Chilwell’s challenge on Danilo to trigger the break, but referee Mike Dean was unmoved and Leicester were ruthless.

Jamie Vardy peeled out to the left flank to collect James Maddison’s pass before looping a cross to the far post, where Fabian Delph lost touch with Albrighton and allowed the Foxes winger to guide home a superb header.

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When Leroy Sane sent a 24th-minute cross to the far post for Manchester City, they lacked their normal urgency and Chilwell had time and space to clear.

Aguero might have restored City’s lead right minutes before half-time but his near-post chance from a Sane cross was a difficult one and he clipped it wide.

Sane was finding space regularly and his next cross forced Harry Maguire to make a timely interception.

Yet shortly before half-time came three chances in a matter of seconds for the hosts to claim the lead.

First Vardy seized on a misplaced pass by Bernardo Silva and found himself one-on-one with Ederson, who saved well.

Then Maddison failed to find the target and finally Hamsa Choudhury arrived at the far post to meet an Albrighton cross but could only redirect the ball straight at Ederson.

Then another cross from Chilwell found Maddison, who fired just wide.

Manchester City began the second half on the front foot but the first chance after half-time fell to Leicester following a patient attack.

The ball found its way to Maddison, who cut in from the left and curled a right-footed effort narrowly wide of the far post.

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It was the visitors, though, who were making the running with Leicester forced into some stout defending and Harry Maguire booked for a challenge on Bernardo Silva.

Leicester were undaunted, however, and with 23 minutes Laporte had to make a crucial, sliding challenge on Vardy to prevent a clear chance after a slick counter-attack.

Aguero flashed a long-range effort high and wide as the champions grew increasingly desperate.

Kevin De Bruyne’s unhappy, ineffective afternoon came to an end on 70 minutes when he was replaced by David Silva.

It was Leicester, though, who grew in confidence with Laporte almost conceding an embarrassing own-goal with a deflection that went just wide.

But from that corner came the winning goal as Albrighton’s delivery was cleared weakly by Sane as far as Ricardo, who rifled a brilliant half-volley from 20 yards past a helpless Ederson and inside the far post.

Manchester City’s misery was complete in the final minute of the 90 as Delph’s clumsy, high challenge on Ricardo was punished with a straight red card.