Guardiola marks 500th game as Manchester City manager with crucial win over Leicester

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Pep Guardiola marked his 500th game as Manchester City manager with a tense victory over Leicester at the King Power Stadium.

Goals from Savinho and Erling Haaland secured a much-needed win, only their second in the last 10 Premier League outings.

Despite the triumph, City remained outside the top four, sitting fifth and 11 points behind leaders Liverpool. The pressure on Guardiola has mounted during the toughest period of his managerial career, but he remains resolute in turning things around.

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Leicester, under Ruud van Nistelrooy, posed several threats but ultimately could not capitalise on City’s vulnerabilities.

The Foxes started brightly, with Jamie Vardy nearly profiting from a defensive error by Croatian defender Josko Gvardiol. Facundo Buonanotte also came agonisingly close to scoring, hitting the post with a well-placed header.

However, City struck first, with Savinho netting his debut goal in the 21st minute after Phil Foden’s shot was parried by Jakub Stolarczyk.

Leicester continued to press for a leveller, sensing opportunities against City’s shaky and sometimes sloppy defense. James Justin had a chance to level but saw his effort cleared off the line by Manuel Akanji. Vardy, who looked dangerous throughout, struck the bar late on and later missed a golden opportunity from close range.

As Leicester’s hopes of a comeback dwindled, Haaland delivered the killer blow. Rising to meet Savinho’s pinpoint cross, the Norwegian sealed the win with a clinical header.

The defeat extended Leicester’s poor form, leaving them in the relegation zone after four back-to-back losses.

City’s confidence remains fragile, but the victory offers a glimmer of hope amid their recent struggles. For Leicester, the promising start under Van Nistelrooy is fading fast, with survival now the primary focus.

Tags: Savinho, Manchester City, Facundo Buonanotte, Leicester City, Jamie Vardy, #LEIMCI, Jakub Stolarczyk, Phil Foden, Erling Haaland, James Justin, Pep Guardiola, 500 games, #NewsRoundTheClock, #nrtcnewsnigeria, #nrtcnews, #nrtcnigeria, #nrtcsports.