Savinho and Erling Haaland scored to give Manchester City a much-needed 2-0 victory at Leicester City on Sunday, the champions’ first win in five Premier League games.
The result meant Pep Guardiola celebrated his 500th game in charge of City with victory in what is proving one of the most difficult periods of his successful career.
City’s second win in 14 games across all competitions meant they climbed two spots to fifth place in the Premier League standings with 31 points, 11 behind leaders Liverpool who have two games in hand. Leicester remain in the relegation zone in 18th place.
Savinho netted his first goal for City in the 21st minute when he pounced on a rebound from Phil Foden‘s long shot after Leicester goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk pushed the ball into his path. The Brazil international fired into the roof of the net from a tight angle.
DARREN STAPLES/AFP via Getty Images
Haaland, who has just two goals in eight league games in his worst stretch of his Premier League career, doubled City’s lead in the 74th minute when he headed home a looping cross from Savinho, who latched onto a pass from Kevin De Bruyne.
However, the victory was far from a walkover, however.
Leicester fans screamed for a penalty early on when Jamie Vardy found himself one-on-one with goalkeeper Stefan Ortega from a counter-attack. Ortega brought Vardy down in the box but Man City were saved by the offside flag.
Josko Gvardiol nearly cost Guardiola’s team a first-half goal with a disastrous header back to Ortega that was intercepted. City’s disorganised back line saw Facundo Buonanotte clatter a shot off the bar minutes later.
Leicester had another glorious chance early in the second half when Vardy headed into the box and James Justin got a touch on it that looked headed into the back of the net before Manuel Akanji cleared it off the line.