PREMIER LEAGUE
RAHEEM Sterling admits Manchester City got lucky in their 2-1 win over Leicester which boosts their hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League.
City moved ahead of Liverpool and up to third as they extended their unbeaten run to six games, but they were made to work by the unfortunate Foxes.
Guardiola’s side were 2-0 up after 36 minutes thanks to a David Silva strike and Gabriel Jesus’ penalty before Shinji Okazaki pulled a goal back for Leicester just before the break.
Riyad Mahrez then saw his 77thminute penalty ruled out after the Algeria winger was adjudged by referee Robert Madley to have kicked the ball on to his standing foot before scoring.
Sterling told Sky Sports: “It’s a massive win. We got the luck we needed throughout the season.
“There have been times throughout the season where we deserved a bit more, but today we got that luck and the three points.”
City took the lead on 29 minutes when Silva scuffed the ball home but there was some controversy with Sterling seemingly in an offside position.
Silva converted Leroy Sane’s cross simply enough but England winger Sterling stuck out a leg as the ball made its way towards the bottom corner.
Sterling added: “David shot, as an attacker you always try to be in and about. I realised if I touched it I would be offside so I left it.
“I wasn’t worried because I know I didn’t touch it. I wasn’t too close to it. It was definitely David’s goal.”
Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel was one of many Foxes players to protest the awarding of Sterling’s goal.
He said: “The first goal is offside. Anybody who has played football, especially in goal, knows he’s (Sterling) offside.
“He’s blocking my view when the ball comes across him, he’s blocking Christian Fuchs’ view in making an attempt for the ball, so he’s offside.
“It’s one of these debates as players we’d love to get involved in but we’re not allowed to. That’s what makes it very frustrating that they (officials) aren’t willing to listen.
“No-one asks for the players’ opinions. They come in and they tell us the rules and they won’t listen to the fact it’s very different for a goalkeeper.”