COMMENTARY BY: Omar Jatta
90+3 PEEP!!! PEEP!!! PEEP!!! Full-time whistle gone… Leicester City 0, Manchester City 0… Leicester moved level on points with Arsenal at the top of the table but stays in second due to better goal tally from Arsenal who leads the table into the new year. Claudio Ranieri’s team have shown their remarkable rise to the top of the table is no fluke. Showed great character and resilience tonight. It shows how far they’ve come under the Italian this season with a fan carrying a placard saying “we are staying up” only half way through the season. Remarkable. Raheem Sterling voted Man of the match.
90+2 Ritchie De Laet comes on for Marc Albrighton as Claudio Ranieri makes his final change of the evening.
90:00 Kevin De Bruyne is booked for kicking the ball away
89:00 Another Man City Substitution — Nigerian youngster Kelechi Iheanacho comes on for Raheem Sterling, who has been Man City’s best player on the park tonight
87:00 A shot from Jesus Navas was blocked for a corner for City. But the poor corner from Kolarov. Easily defended by Leicester.
85:00 Leicester City holding Manchester to a stalemate with five minutes of normal time to play. Robert Huth looking solid at the back for the Foxes, anther block from the German.
81:00 Yellow card for Leicester City’s Marc Albrighton for a reckless high challenge on Bacary Sagna. He is lucky, could’ve been another colour.
80:00 Another Leicester Substitution – Danny Drinkwater out for Andy King
76:15 Mahrezzz!!! Well saved by Joe Hart. Did well the to parry that shit away. Great curling shot from the Algerian
75:40 A rash challenge from Mangala on Mahrez – freekick for Leicester on the left hand side of the City penalty area.
74:00 Manchester City substitution – Jesus Navas comes on for a disappointed David Silva
66.30 Leicester substitution Leonardo Ulloha in for Gokhan Inter
65:00 City camping in the Leicester penalty area but the Blue wall staying put and solid.
62:00 Substitution for City – Wilfried Bony in for Sergio Aguero who went down in the Leicester penalty area but the referee waved away but replays showed the defend didn’t touch the ball.
60:00 Mahrezzz!!! In on City goal but scuffed his shot and went wide across Joe Hart’s goal.
54:00 Kante cut inside from the left of the City penalty and released fierce shot on Joe Hart’s goal but narrowly went wide… brilliant try, great work ethic from Kante.
52.45 Chance for Vardy but couldn’t generate power to his header.
50:00 Manchester City exerting pressure on the Leicester back line with Aguero coming to live, and great shot from the Argentinian blocked by the brilliant Foxes defence and the follow up Yaya Toure also blocked… great piece of defending.
45:55 Great cross from De Bruyne. .. found Aguerooo!! Pheeeew!!! Flicked with his out step but the ball went wide.
45:00 Second half underway
45+2 Half Time at the King Power Stadium with the game at a stalemate. .. City dominated the half but Leicester City came to live towards the end of the half and should’ve may be gone ahead.
43:00 Worries around Leicester City stadium with Mahrez clattered by Otamendi and still rolling on the ground… looking injured.
41:00 Oh boy oh boy, you wont bet on Jamie Vardy, clear through on goal but blazed his shot high and wide… a glorious chance.
39:00 Albrighton!!! Ooophhh!!! Brilliant cross from Fringe on the Left hand side for Leicester found Albrighton but couldn’t guide his the ball as he slide across… what a chance.
35:00 Leicester City despite being under the curse for most of this half have shown great resolve and resilience to keep City at bay. The only thing lacking for Man City is a goal.
32:00 Manchester City definitely dominatin the half and Another fiery shot from Sergio Aguero, tipped over by the brilliant Casper Schmeichel in Leicester’s goal.
30:00 Great anticipation from Danny Simpson to deny Manchester at the Back post.
26:00 Good ball control from Sterling on the run, in on goal but his tame shot saved by Schmeichel.. another great save
24:00 Yihad Mahrez cut inside on the City left and release a fierce curling shot but went wide.
20:00 Manchester City definitely raising their game – definitely knocking on Leicester’s goal.
18:00 Another chance for Aguero. .. oh shot got blocked by the blue wall in front of the goal mouth for an easy save for Schmeichel. Still nil-nil
17:30: Good long ball from Bacary Sagna put Sterling through to set up the emerging Kevin De Bruyne, whose fierce shot was parried out by Schmeichel… what a save.
14:00 Freekick to Leicester in a good position outside City’s penalty area, following Raheem Sterling’s foul on Gokhan Inter. Wasted by Leicester.
12:00 Quick feet from Aguero allowed him to turn around Kante, who did well to block the Argentine’s shot from three yards out.
10:00 Manchester City yet to test Leicester’s resolve.
7:00 Vardy testing his pace against the City back line, harrying and hurrying them with his constant running.
5:00 Leicester not fazed by the magnitude of the occasion – pushing City back into their own half in the early exchanges.
19.45 – KICK-OFF
Leicester have changed their shape and are looking to match Manchester City with a 4-3-2-1 formation. Referee Craig Pawson gets us going in front of a red-hot atmosphere at the King Power Stadium. The Foxes are in all-blue while the visitors are in their changed strip of illuminous yellow.
Manuel Pellegrini showing great respect to Leicester as he is convinced Claudio Ranieri’s team have what it takes to stay the course in the title race.
Pellegrini, whose side moved within three points of Leicester by thrashing Sunderland 4-1 on Saturday, said: “Before that they beat Chelsea and drew against (Manchester) United.
“We must consider Leicester not thinking that they lost on Saturday and could collapse, but as a team that will have options to be fighting for the title until the end. With that mentality we must try to play the game.
“They are top of the table because they deserve to be. They have important players in a very good moment with high performance.”
