Match ends, Leicester City 0, Manchester City 1.
LeicesterLeicester City0Man CityManchester City1
- Lampard fourth on scorers' list
- Dzeko & Kompany injured
- Leicester now winless in 11
- Home fans chant support for Nigel Pearson
Frank Lampard scored his 175th Premier League goal as Manchester City triumphed 1-0 at bottom-of-the-table Leicester City.
The ex-Chelsea man guided home Samir Nasri's pass to give City three points.
However Manuel Pellegrini's afternoon will have been darkened by injuries to Edin Dzeko and Vincent Kompany.
Striker Dzeko pulled a calf muscle in the warm-up and captain Kompany, in his first game back from injury, appeared to have pulled a hamstring.
That took a little of the attention from Lampard's goal, which puts him level with Thierry Henry in fourth place on the all-time scorers' list.
And with Pellegrini keen to keep the former Chelsea midfielder beyond the end of his loan spell from New York City, he could yet add to his six goals for City.
His latest extended Leicester's winless run to 11 matches, their last victory coming against Manchester United on 21 September.
Manager Nigel Pearson, charged by the Football Association after rowing with a fan during the Foxes' 3-1 loss to Liverpool, will have been heartened to hear a number of chants in his favour from the home support.
His side started well, with forward Jamie Vardy particularly impressive.
The 27-year-old, who terrorised Man City's city rivals United earlier this season, had an early shot deflected wide by Eliaquim Mangala.
Leicester's veteran Argentina international Esteban Cambiasso then came close to catching out Joe Hart with a cheeky 35-yard freekick.
The visitors, with 18-year-old Jose Angel Pozo making his full debut in place of the luckless Dzeko, were laboured and narrow.
However, the young Spaniard sparked City into life when he fired their first shot at stand-in Leicester keeper Ben Hamer.
Moments later they were ahead. Samir Nasri, so impressive in the decisive 2-0 Champions League win over AS Roma, squeezed a pass through a cluster of legs for Lampard, who managed to readjust to sidefoot past Maher.
Pellegrini's men hit cruise control for long periods but, on 77 minutes, Kompany pulled up clutching the back of his right hamstring.
He was replaced by Martin Demichelis and, despite a couple of late scares with substitute Leonardo Ulloa going close, the champions held on.
Leicester City manager Nigel Pearson: "They showed why they are champions, scored a goal out of nothing and didn't really create anything else.
"We are on the receiving end of another defeat and I don't think we deserved to be but that's how it is. There's no point me being anything other than rational about it.
"When you're adrift that makes it even more difficult psychologically but I don't think our players looked like they lacked belief and that will be important."
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini: "It is an important victory. It's been a very difficult week for us as we had to play on Wednesday in Rome.
"We play in less then 72 hours another game and it's not enough to recover physically and mentally. And we had a lot of injuries.
"That is why it is important to take a 1-0 lead and defend well."
Line-ups
Leicester
Formation 4-5-1
- 12Hamer
- 17Simpson
- 27Wasilewski
- 5Morgan
- 3Konchesky
- 26Mahrez
- 10King
- 19Cambiasso
- 4DrinkwaterSubstituted forKnockaertat 79'minutes
- 15SchluppSubstituted forUlloaat 64'minutes
- 9VardySubstituted forPowellat 73'minutes
Substitutes
- 7Hammond
- 8James
- 14Powell
- 18Moore
- 23Ulloa
- 24Knockaert
- 31Smith
Man City
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1HartBooked at 78mins
- 3Sagna
- 4KompanySubstituted forDemichelisat 77'minutes
- 20Mangala
- 22Clichy
- 42Y Touré
- 6Reges
- 8NasriBooked at 70mins
- 18LampardSubstituted forMilnerat 60'minutes
- 21Silva
- 78PozoSubstituted forNavasat 74'minutes
Substitutes
- 5Zabaleta
- 7Milner
- 11Kolarov
- 13Caballero
- 15Navas
- 25Fernandinho
- 26Demichelis
- Referee:
- Jonathan Moss
- Attendance:
- 31,643
Match Stats
Home TeamLeicesterAway TeamMan City
- Possession
- Home43%
- Away57%
- Shots
- Home7
- Away9
- Shots on Target
- Home1
- Away4
- Corners
- Home8
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home15
- Away13
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Leicester City 0, Manchester City 1.
Post update
Offside, Manchester City. Fernando tries a through ball, but David Silva is caught offside.
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Attempt missed. Leonardo Ulloa (Leicester City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Wes Morgan with a headed pass.
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Samir Nasri (Manchester City) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Danny Simpson (Leicester City).
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Offside, Manchester City. James Milner tries a through ball, but Samir Nasri is caught offside.
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Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Bacary Sagna.
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Foul by Gaël Clichy (Manchester City).
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Nick Powell (Leicester City) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Attempt saved. Samir Nasri (Manchester City) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Yaya Touré.
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Delay over. They are ready to continue.
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Delay in match Fernando (Manchester City) because of an injury.
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Attempt missed. Jesús Navas (Manchester City) right footed shot from the right side of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by James Milner following a fast break.
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Attempt blocked. Anthony Knockaert (Leicester City) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
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Foul by Fernando (Manchester City).
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Anthony Knockaert (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Attempt missed. Yaya Touré (Manchester City) right footed shot from the right side of the box is too high. Assisted by Jesús Navas.
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Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Paul Konchesky.
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Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Eliaquim Mangala.
