GABRIEL’S AN ANGEL
Pep Guardiola reckons only a Christmas miracle could have stopped Jesus & Co. from running riot.
Goals from Riyad Mahrez, Ilkay Gundogan and a seasonal effort from Gabriel Jesus sealed the points after Jamie Vardy’s opener.
And City gaffer Guardiola said: “We created a lot and played incredibly well with the ball.
“It’s impossible to do anything to stop goals like that – they are so good.
“But we were aggressive up front to stop Leicester playing and we did well playing simple one-two touch and then pass.”
Kevin de Bruyne was inspired for City and his gaffer reckons he’s
Manchester City... 3 Leicester City ........1
back bang on form. He said: “Kevin is a fighter – that was the best he has played in a long time.”
This was City’s chance to show they were still a force.
But Vardy silenced the Etihad when he out-legged Fernandinho and chipped Ederson to score with Leicester’s first effort at goal.
City regrouped and Mahrez fired in a low shot that was deflected past Kasper Schmeichel to silence the boo boys at his former club.
Schmeichel was under pressure now and three minutes before the break Ricardo Pereira brought down Raheem Sterling for a penalty that Gundogan stroked into the bottom corner.
And the points were safe in 69 minutes when De Bruyne burst into the box and squared for Gabriel Jesus to slide home his side’s third goal at the far post.
Pep added: “I am delighted with the way we played. We created a lot and played really good.
“We kept going forward and played balls so simply. We didn’t want to make every action incredible, playing simple is why the team played good.”
Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers said: “In the first half we weren’t good at all. It actually shows how well we’ve done to be where we are. It was a good lesson for us.”