Football news - Manchester City overwhelm Leicester to close gap on second

Manchester City closed the gap between themselves and second-placed opponents Leicester City to just one point after a 3-1 victory in the Premier League’s evening kick-off at the Etihad.

Leicester caught Pep Guardiola’s team on the break to go ahead, with Jamie Vardy racing through on to a pass by Harvey Barnes to outpace the Manchester City defence and dink the ball over Ederson after 22 minutes.

The hosts soon hit back. Riyad Mahrez, who was a constant menace, saw his low drive deflect off Caglar Soyuncu to equalise before Ilkay Gundogan converted a penalty won by Raheem Sterling. That gave Manchester City the lead at half-time, before a brilliant run and cross from Kevin De Bruyne gave Gabriel Jesus a tap-in to seal the game after 69 minutes.

The result ensures that Liverpool’s lead at the top remains at 10 points. Leicester will now host the league leaders on Boxing Day in a crucial top of the table clash, while Manchester City visit Molineux to face Wolves the following night.

Can either side catch Liverpool? With a game in hand due to their pursuit of the Fifa Club World Cup in Doha, Liverpool’s lead of 10 points over Leicester in second and 11 over Manchester City in third looks ominous. The hosts looked in devastating form tonight, while Leicester have been on an excellent run before tonight and face Liverpool next. Can they between them exert the kind of pressure on Liverpool that might lead to a title race rather than a procession?

Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City): If the match had ended at half-time, the torturous 45 minutes Mahrez gave Ben Chilwell might have won the argument. De Bruyne was only marginally less impressive than his colleague in that spell, but took the match over in the second. His slaloming run into the penalty area set up Jesus, for the strike that sealed the game, and crowned another superb performance from a man who will surely be one of the favourites for the PFA and FWA Player of the Year awards.

Manchester City: Ederson 6; Walker 6, Fernandinho 5, Otamendi 6, Mendy 7; Gundogan 6, De Bruyne 8, Bernardo 6; Mahrez 7, Gabriel Jesus 7, Sterling 7. Subs: Aguero 6, Rodrigo 6, Foden 6

Leicester City: Schmeichel 7; Ricardo 6, Evans 7, Soyuncu 6, Chilwell 5; Ndidi 7, Tielemans 6, Maddison 6; Barnes 7, Perez 6, Vardy 7. Subs: Gray 6, Albrighton 6, Praet 6

14’ - OFF THE POST! Mahrez latches onto an overcooked cross on the right of the Leicester area. He pulls it back to De Bruyne, who wallops a shot off the base of the post from the edge of the area.

22’ - GOAL! Man City 0-1 Leicester (Vardy). One ball in behind and Leicester are ahead! Barnes gets it down the left and curls a lovely through pass inside Fernandinho to Vardy. He advances into the area, leaving Fernandinho trailing, and dinks his finish over the diving Ederson to put Leicester ahead!

30’ - GOAL! Man City 1-1 Leicester (Mahrez). It's been coming. Mahrez cuts in from the right again, leaving Chilwell behind him. He shoots from the edge of the penalty area, and it catches a deflection to wrong-foot Schmeichel and trickle into the net.

41’ - PENALTY! Ricardo clips Sterling as he cuts into the area, penalty to Man City.

43’ - GOAL! Man City 2-1 Leicester (Gundogan). Gundogan drills it low and to the right. Schmeichel gets a hand on it but can't keep it out, and Man City lead!

58’ - CLOSE! City get in down the left after a lovely, lofted ball from Bernardo to Mendy. He crosses, De Bruyne flicks it on and Mahrez smashes a drive down into the ground but a yard wide.

61’ - WHAT A CHANCE! Ndidi plays a long ball down the right channel to Vardy. He fires a brilliant cross into the six-yard box for the onrushing Barnes, who can't get enough on the ball and it skids off his studs and out for a goal kick as he's clattered by Ederson.

69’ - GOAL! Man City 3-1 Leicester (Jesus). It's 3-1 and it's brilliant from De Bruyne. From the inside right channel he stands up Soyuncu and leaves him standing as he cuts into the penalty area. De Bruyne's ball to the back post is perfect for Jesus, who taps in from two yards out.