SIMPLICITY IS GENIUS ..AND PEP KEEPS IT SO SIMPLE

Guardiola asked for just one thing from players – and his patience was rewarded

the top, but Guardiola revealed the tough bit is hanging on to your Einstein reputation when others are calling you a fool.

City dispatched the Foxes pretty comfortably and immediately set their sights on tomorrow’s Champions League clash with Borussia Dortmund – all on the back of an international week.

Guardiola said: “When we rotate and win I am a genius and it is, ‘Well done Pep’.

“And when I rotate and we lose people say, ‘Why rotate, you have to play the players who normally play’. But it’s impossible. It’s not sustainable.”

Do not forget, this win was not against a bunch of also-rans. Leicester are third in the table, have just exited Europe and are in the FA Cup semi-finals.

Conscious of being thrashed 5-2 by Leicester on their own turf in September, Guardiola asked one thing of his men – patience.

And they gave it him in spades, refusing to fall into the kind of traps their hosts had made their name on.

Guardiola said: “They can hurt you so we were nervous even at 1-0 up. You have to be patient. Leicester are patient, trying to make us impatient, so they can strike.”

The visitors certainly had a jolt on the stroke of half-time when Jamie Vardy had the ball in the net, his effort being ruled offside.

Kasper Schmeichel made a great block to deny old pal Riyad Mahrez and De Bruyne thundered one against the crossbar before Benjamin Mendy opened the scoring on the hour, firing home from an angle after twisting inside Marc Albrighton.

Then came the moment, De Bruyne threading a ball through which put both Jonny Evans and Wesley Fofana on their backsides and sending Raheem Sterling racing away to set up Gabriel Jesus (circle) for a tap-in.

Guardiola said: “The pass? It was good, eh? Kevin is extraordinary. He’s one of the most talented players in the world, yet his work-rate is so good as well.

“There’s no negotiation on that. You run for your mate. That’s what you have to do so when you do it for your mate, the next time he will run for you.”