Premier League
LeicesterLeicester City0Man CityManchester City1

Leicester City 0-1 Manchester City: Bernardo Silva hits winner for Pep Guardiola's side

By Neil JohnstonBBC Sport
Manchester City keeper Ederson in action in his side's Premier League match with Leicester City
Manchester City have kept three clean sheets since losing their opening game of the season at Tottenham

Manchester City secured a third straight league win after seeing off Leicester City in an entertaining game at King Power Stadium.

Goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel and Ederson made crucial saves in a free-flowing match to keep their respective teams on level terms before Bernardo Silva's close-range finish settled a fine contest.

The Portuguese pounced after Joao Cancelo's shot was deflected by Caglar Soyuncu into Silva's path.

At 0-0 Manchester City's Ederson saved well from Harvey Barnes, while at the other end Gabriel Jesus was twice denied by Schmeichel.

Leicester created several chances, Barnes clipping the top of the bar with a header before Jamie Vardy had a goal ruled out for offside.

Silva's goal means City have won all their games since starting the defence of their Premier League crown with a 1-0 defeat at Tottenham.

Man City hitting familiar form

City spent £100m on British record signing Jack Grealish to give them another source of creativity but there was disappointment in their lengthy pursuit of Harry Kane, who is staying at Spurs.

It led critics to question whether they could win another title without a main striker.

Incredibly at this early stage of the campaign, Silva became the ninth different Manchester City player to score in the Premier League in 2021-22 after another job well done by Pep Guardiola's side against determined opponents.

Leicester will feel hard done they finished with nothing from a high-octane match. That was partly down to Ederson, whose participation in this game had been in doubt along with Jesus.

The Brazilian duo were eventually cleared to play for their clubs this weekend after complaints about their failure to report for international duty were dropped - and both played key roles in their team's latest win.

Ederson received a facial injury and required lengthy treatment after making a brave save to keep out Barnes before denying substitute Ademola Lookman late on.

At the other end, Jesus was lively and would surely have scored but for Schmeichel's superb early save.

After making a losing start to the season, Guardiola's side are beginning to hit familiar form.

Variety of Man City goalscorers delights Guardiola

By winning their first match away from Etihad Stadium since 14 May, they have made a perfect start to a testing week that sees them start their latest attempt to win the Champions League for the first time.

Wednesday's home group game with RB Leipzig, last season's Bundesliga runners-up, will provide another big test for City.

They will prepare for it on the back of a winning run and with confidence sky-high.

Foxes offer plenty of promise

There was no repeat for Leicester of the triumphant scenes at Wembley five weeks ago when Kelechi Iheanacho's 89th-minute penalty defeated Guardiola's side in the Community Shield.

Despite a second defeat in three games, there were still plenty of positives for Brendan Rodgers at the start of a busy period of games that will go some way to shaping the Foxes' season.

Rodgers gave first league starts to summer signings Ryan Bertrand and Jannik Vestergaard in what was the first of seven league and cup matches in the space of 22 days.

Rodgers proud of Foxes performance despite defeat

Both showed promise by making important blocks while Lookman - who joined shortly before the summer transfer window closed last month - was a lively addition after appearing as a 73rd-minute substitute.

As well as forcing Ederson into a clever save, former Everton winger Lookman was denied by Ruben Dias after the defender blocked his goal-bound shot late on.

Leicester, who also welcomed back Jonny Evans from a foot injury, have endured a mixed start to the season after winning two and losing two of their four games.

But there is plenty of optimism in the air as they get ready to launch another Europa League campaign at home to Napoli on Thursday.

Player of the match

Bernardo SilvaBernardo Silva

with an average of 7.27

Leicester City

  1. Squad number1Player nameSchmeichel
    Average rating

    6.16

  2. Squad number9Player nameVardy
    Average rating

    6.09

  3. Squad number8Player nameTielemans
    Average rating

    6.00

  4. Squad number7Player nameBarnes
    Average rating

    5.98

  5. Squad number25Player nameNdidi
    Average rating

    5.95

  6. Squad number11Player nameAlbrighton
    Average rating

    5.82

  7. Squad number23Player nameVestergaard
    Average rating

    5.82

  8. Squad number14Player nameIheanacho
    Average rating

    5.77

  9. Squad number10Player nameMaddison
    Average rating

    5.70

  10. Squad number37Player nameLookman
    Average rating

    5.67

  11. Squad number5Player nameBertrand
    Average rating

    5.64

  12. Squad number4Player nameSöyüncü
    Average rating

    5.63

  13. Squad number27Player nameCastagne
    Average rating

    5.54

  14. Squad number6Player nameEvans
    Average rating

    5.19

Manchester City

  1. Squad number20Player nameBernardo Silva
    Average rating

    7.27

  2. Squad number10Player nameGrealish
    Average rating

    7.22

  3. Squad number31Player nameEderson
    Average rating

    7.09

  4. Squad number2Player nameWalker
    Average rating

    7.01

  5. Squad number3Player nameRúben Dias
    Average rating

    7.01

  6. Squad number14Player nameLaporte
    Average rating

    7.01

  7. Squad number27Player nameJoão Cancelo
    Average rating

    6.98

  8. Squad number9Player nameGabriel Jesus
    Average rating

    6.90

  9. Squad number21Player nameF Torres
    Average rating

    6.89

  10. Squad number8Player nameGündogan
    Average rating

    6.86

  11. Squad number16Player nameRodri
    Average rating

    6.79

  12. Squad number7Player nameSterling
    Average rating

    5.82

  13. Squad number25Player nameFernandinho
    Average rating

    5.68

Line-ups

Leicester

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 1Schmeichel
  • 27Castagne
  • 4SöyüncüBooked at 75mins
  • 23VestergaardSubstituted forEvansat 61'minutes
  • 5Bertrand
  • 8Tielemans
  • 25Ndidi
  • 11Albrighton
  • 10MaddisonSubstituted forIheanachoat 73'minutes
  • 7BarnesSubstituted forLookmanat 73'minutes
  • 9Vardy

Substitutes

  • 6Evans
  • 12Ward
  • 14Iheanacho
  • 18Amartey
  • 21Ricardo Pereira
  • 22Dewsbury-Hall
  • 29Daka
  • 37Lookman
  • 42Soumaré

Man City

Formation 4-3-3

  • 31Ederson
  • 2Walker
  • 3Rúben Dias
  • 14LaporteBooked at 38mins
  • 27Cancelo
  • 8Gündogan
  • 16RodriBooked at 26mins
  • 20Bernardo Silva
  • 9Gabriel JesusSubstituted forFernandinhoat 84'minutes
  • 21F TorresSubstituted forSterlingat 64'minutes
  • 10Grealish

Substitutes

  • 5Stones
  • 6Aké
  • 7Sterling
  • 11Zinchenko
  • 17De Bruyne
  • 25Fernandinho
  • 26Mahrez
  • 33Carson
  • 47Foden
Referee:
Paul Tierney
Attendance:
32,087

Match Stats

Home TeamLeicesterAway TeamMan City
Possession
Home39%
Away61%
Shots
Home6
Away25
Shots on Target
Home1
Away8
Corners
Home5
Away8
Fouls
Home4
Away11

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Leicester City 0, Manchester City 1.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Leicester City 0, Manchester City 1.

  3. Post update

    Foul by Bernardo Silva (Manchester City).

  4. Post update

    Çaglar Söyüncü (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  5. Post update

    Attempt saved. Jack Grealish (Manchester City) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Ilkay Gündogan with a through ball.

  6. Post update

    Attempt missed. Fernandinho (Manchester City) right footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Raheem Sterling.

  7. Post update

    Raheem Sterling (Manchester City) wins a free kick on the right wing.

  8. Post update

    Foul by Youri Tielemans (Leicester City).

  9. Post update

    Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Rúben Dias.

  10. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Ademola Lookman (Leicester City) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.

  11. Substitution

    Substitution, Manchester City. Fernandinho replaces Gabriel Jesus.

  12. Post update

    Attempt missed. Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Marc Albrighton with a cross.

  13. Post update

    Offside, Leicester City. Youri Tielemans tries a through ball, but Jamie Vardy is caught offside.

  14. Post update

    Foul by João Cancelo (Manchester City).

  15. Post update

    Ademola Lookman (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  16. Post update

    Foul by Raheem Sterling (Manchester City).

  17. Post update

    Jonny Evans (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  18. Post update

    Attempt missed. Raheem Sterling (Manchester City) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Jack Grealish.

  19. Post update

    Hand ball by João Cancelo (Manchester City).

  20. Post update

    Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Ederson.

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