Mahrez dedicates winning goal
Manchester City attacker Riyad Mahrez dedicated his winner against Tottenham in yesterday’s English Premier League clash to late Leicester owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha.
Pep Guardiola’s men returned to the summit of the standings with a 1-0 win over Spurs at Wembley, with scorer Mahrez pointing to the sky after his sixth-minute strike.
Srivaddhanaprabha died with four other people when his helicopter crashed outside Leicester’s stadium after their draw with West Ham on Sunday.
Mahrez played for the Foxes from 2014 until moving to City this offseason and was a star of their 2016 Premier League-winning team bankrolled by Vichai.
“It has been very difficult,” said Mahrez. “The boss was very special to me, I spent four-and-a-half years there. He was such a good person and I’m very, very sad. That’s why I put my hands in the air for him.
“He did a lot for me and for Leicester. He was like a dad to us. He had a very big heart. I was heartbroken to hear this news. It’s a difficult situation and I’m with Leicester and the families of the victims.”
It was City’s eighth win in 10 games as they remained unbeaten in their title defence.
Not only did the champions have to overcome a Tottenham side that had made their best nine-game start to a Premier League, they did so on a field damaged and discoloured by an NFL game the day before.
Coming a day after a game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars, the Wembley pitch had a faded NFL crest in the centre circle, yardage markings all over it, and an uneven surface. Both flanks were heavily discoloured.
It probably didn’t help the quality on show between two of the Premier League’s top clubs, who both play an attractive passing game.
Mahrez also had a shot tipped on to the post by goalkeeper Hugo Lloris in the first half, while Harry Kane passed up Tottenham’s best chance when he overran the ball in a oneon-one with City goalkeeper Ederson Moraes and was tackled.
Erik Lamela squandered a great chance for an equaliser in the 80th minute, blazing a shot over the crossbar with just Ederson to beat.