Jack Grealish scored his first Premier League goal in nearly 16 months, as Manchester City climbed into fourth place and dealt a significant blow to Leicester’s survival hopes with a 2-0 win at the Etihad Stadium. The victory pushed Leicester even closer to relegation, leaving them with a mountain to climb.
City manager Pep Guardiola, who was banned from the touchline, watched the match from the stands, and was at least able to witness Grealish’s goal. The winger, making his first league start since December, pounced on a second-minute cutback from Savinho to open the scoring. It was a moment that was somewhat muted, though, as many City fans were still outside the stadium in protest. Hundreds of supporters had not yet taken their seats, showing discontent over the expected rise in season ticket prices and the club’s new commercial partnership with ticket resale platform Viagogo.
Omar Marmoush, filling in for the injured Erling Haaland, doubled City’s lead just before the half-hour mark. Marmoush latched onto a chipped ball from Ruben Dias and hammered a first-time shot into the underside of the bar, after Leicester goalkeeper Mads Hermansen failed to deal with the delivery into the penalty area.
For Leicester, the defeat is part of a grim sequence that has seen them lose 14 of their last 15 league matches. With just eight games remaining, they are now 12 points adrift of safety, making an immediate return to the Championship seem increasingly likely. The club has set some disheartening records, becoming only the fourth team in English top-flight history to lose seven consecutive games without scoring, while also conceding the first goal in 25 of their 30 matches this season. To make matters worse, Leicester are still yet to keep a clean sheet away from home.
