Bernardo Silva the difference as Manchester City win at Leicester

Bernardo Silva's close-range strike was enough to give Manchester City a slender 1-0 victory at Leicester.

Silva reacted quickest after his compatriot Joao Cancelo's shot was blocked into his path by Caglar Soyuncu and he lifted the ball over Kasper Schmeichel.

Pep Guardiola's side were good value for the win with Schmeichel making some fine saves from Silva and Ferran Torres and Jannik Vestegaard, on his full debut, making some important blocks.

Harvey Barnes came closest to scoring for the Foxes, prior to the only goal of the game, when he headed Jamie Vardy's cross against the crossbar. A couple of minutes later, Vardy had the ball in the Citizens' net after rounding Ederson but he was just offside.

The win lifts the Premier League champions up to second place in the table, a point behind their city rivals.

In this fine advert for Premier League football, ironically on a day where almost all eyes from abroad would have been on another 3 o'clock kick-off, Leicester can take heart from the way they played in defeat. They were especially dangerous when former Manchester City man Kelechi Iheanacho came on, with both stellar opposition centre backs finding it hard to cope with him. He deserves a place in the starting line up.

With Barnes also a danger with his running, with and without the ball and Vardy perennially a threat running behind the defence or drifting to the right flank where his crossing ability is as much of an unheralded strength as it was for another Premier League marksman Alan Shearer, James Maddison does not have an obvious place in the side.

He was linked with a move to Arsenal in the summer and a move away from the Foxes may be beneficial to both parties, allowing Brendan Rodgers to strengthen elsewhere, though the England international's price will have dipped in this calendar year.

Some might have wondered how he would fit in with Jack Grealish being brought into the side but if today is a judge, it may well see him have his best season at the Etihad Stadium. He has always had quality on the ball, beating players and able to manoeuvre the ball onto his left foot to wreak havoc, but it was his movement off the ball which was as impressive today.

At their worst, City can be stationary, each waiting for a ball to feet to perform magic, which is also an accusation that can be levelled at their £100 million summer signing, but Silva was constantly in motion linking with the England man throughout to create from the left flank and also popping up in the area to cause danger. The performance was augmented by his cool finish from a tight angle.

Leicester: Schmeichel 7, Castagne 6, Verstergaard 8, Soyuncu 7, Bertrand 7, Albrighton 7, Ndidi 7, Tielemans 6, Barnes 7, Maddison 5, Vardy 7. Subs: Evans 6, Iheancho 7, Lookman 6.

Man City: Ederson 7, Walker 6, Dias 7, Laporte 6, Cancelo 7, Rodri 6, Gundogan 7, Silva 8*, Jesus 6, Torres 6, Grealish 7. Subs: Sterling 6, Fernandinho 6.

7' Great save! Then two fine blocks from Vestergaard. Silva with a great run beating three men and crossing to the back post for Torres but Schmeichel makes himself big before Silva and Gundogan try shots at goal that the prone centre-back blocks.

8' Great stop at the other end! A ball is launched up the other end and Vardy puts a fine low cross to the centre where the lunging Walker gets to the ball just before Barnes and Ederson stops it going into the net before the Leicester forward and the keeper collide.

47' Crossbar! A real chance for Harvey Barnes who is found free in the middle by Vardy's cross but he heads against the crossbar and over.

60' GOAL! Or is it? Vintage Jamie Vardy goes around the Man City keeper and puts the ball in the net but the linesman has given offside. It looked very close. No VAR required. A good start for the Foxes though.

62' GOAL! Leicester 0-1 Man City (Silva): Grealish plays it back to Cancelo on the edge of the box and the ball is blocked by Soyuncu right into the path of Silva who puts the ball into the net from close range.

76' Great play! Fantastic play from Iheancho, beating Walker then brushing off Dias before putting Lookman through on goal but Ederson is quick out of goal to block the effort.