History repeating itself? City victory will stun the league
MAGNIFICENT DISPLAY AT THE ETIHAD SPARKS MEMORIES OF THAT TITLE-WINNING SEASON
A LEICESTER City victory at the Etihad Stadium that has stunned the rest of the Premier League? We’ve been here before.
Brendan Rodgers’ side evoked memories of the famous 3-1 win over Manchester City in their titlewinning campaign with an incredible 5-2 victory over Pep Guardiola’s side yesterday afternoon.
With it, Leicester returned to top spot in the Premier League table and ensured this is their best-ever start to a top-flight campaign, with the club never previously starting a top division season with three straight wins.
Not only did the result bring back memories of 2016, the style of play did too, with Leicester sitting deep and breaking like lightning on the counter.
Riyad Mahrez, who netted on that day four years ago, opened the scoring here with an arrowlike effort to the top corner, but Leicester bounced back, with Jamie Vardy scoring a hat-trick.
Two were from the spot, while one was a cheeky back-heel that few strikers in the Premier League can pull off.
James Maddison also scored a sublime fourth for the visitors, while Youri Tielemans topped it off with his first of the season from the penalty spot.
Standing in their way of a return to the top of the Premier League table was a Man City side that had run them ragged on their last visit to the Etihad Stadium.
But it was also a Man City side without a recognised striker, with Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus both injured, and with a brandnew centre-back pairing in Nathan Ake and Eric Garcia.
But with Rodgers perhaps wary of the way Man City had toyed with his side last Christmas, he opted for a back five.
That included Jonny Evans in his first appearance of the campaign, the Northern Ireland international available again after suspension, and in a surprise selection, Daniel Amartey.
The Ghanaian played his first game in 23 months in midweek, and this was his first Premier League outing since breaking his ankle in October 2018.
The set-up was built to weather a storm, but Leicester barely lasted three minutes.
A corner was swung into the sixyard box, and James Justin flicked it away, but only to an unmarked Mahrez on the angle 15 yards out.
Leicester players and fans are fully aware of the Algerian’s talents, but perhaps not the power and accuracy in his right foot, which is usually for standing only.
Still, the winger swung his weaker foot at the bouncing ball, striking it sweetly into the top corner.
In fact, it could barely have been more in the top corner – it was unstoppable.
The next 20 minutes was a training exercise for Man City, with all 11 Leicester players inside their own final third, Rodgers’ men showing their hosts the utmost respect.
But there were only two chances, Raheem Sterling shooting tamely at Kasper Schmeichel and then, in a better opportunity,
Fernandinho heading straight at the Dane from Kevin De Bruyne’s free-kick.
That sparked Leicester into life, and they started to play with much positivity and bravery.
Castagne played a one-two with Dennis Praet and then curled a brilliant pass into Vardy’s path, but the striker could not quite reach it, with Justin then playing a poor ball from the other side.
But sensing a weakness in the Man City backline, Leicester continued their proactive approach.
Papy Mendy spun in midfield and sent Harvey Barnes away.
He got the timing and weight of his pass to Vardy spot on, and Kyle Walker dragged the number nine back.
It was the first penalty of three, and was probably the best of the lot, Vardy rifling it into the top corner.
After that goal, Leicester perhaps would have been the happier side at the break.
If not, they certainly were by full-time after a quite astonishing second period.
De Bruyne flashed a shot wide after 15 seconds of the second half, but from there it was Leicester who looked like the side who could challenge for the title.
Tielemans threaded through Castagne who, for the third game running, played a part in a goal, with a swift low cross to Vardy.
The Belgians in the build-up deserve plaudits, but really this was all about the finish, Vardy racing to the near post and backheeling the ball over Ederson, akin to his first England goal against Germany.
That was four years ago, and the 33-year-old is showing he’s still got it.
Moments later, he had his hattrick.
In a near carbon copy of the first goal, Barnes carried the ball forward and played it into Vardy, who was this time tripped by Eric Garcia.
Again, the number nine made no mistake from the spot, placing it into the opposite corner to his first.
Only three hat-tricks have ever been scored against Guardiola sides. Vardy now has two, and Lionel Messi has the other.
Chances kept coming at either end.
Teenager Liam Delap hit the bar with a header for Man City, and then Barnes drove through the middle and hit a shot straight at Ederson.
Then came Leicester’s fourth in a rival to Mahrez’s opener.
Maddison, only just on the pitch, received the ball in space, shaped his body and then curled a beautiful effort around the defender, over Ederson and into the top corner from 25 yards.
The goals were not done there. Nathan Ake headed in a Mahrez corner to reduce the deficit, but a third Leicester penalty quickly followed.
Maddison was felled by Benjamin Mendy and Tielemans drilled home the goal he deserved with Vardy off the pitch.
The striker, Dennis Praet, and Evans had all been substituted with injuries and that will be the one blot on an otherwise memorable victory for Leicester, who really are looking the part.