Jack Grealish marked a milestone with his first Premier League goal in nearly 16 months, helping Manchester City move into fourth place and pushing Leicester further into relegation trouble with a 2-0 victory at the Etihad Stadium.
With Pep Guardiola serving a touchline ban, the City manager watched from the stands as Grealish, making his first league start since December, latched onto a second-minute cutback from Savinho to open the scoring.
Guardiola, banned from the sideline, witnessed the goal, though many home fans had not yet taken their seats due to a protest against potential season ticket price hikes and a new partnership with the ticket resale company Viagogo. As a result, a significant number of supporters missed Grealish’s opener.
Omar Marmoush, filling in for the injured Erling Haaland, doubled City’s advantage just before the half-hour mark. The Egyptian forward pounced on a loose ball after Leicester goalkeeper Mads Hermansen failed to control a chipped delivery from Ruben Dias, firing his first-time shot into the net off the underside of the crossbar.
Leicester’s woes continued as they now face the grim reality of being 12 points from safety with only eight matches remaining. The Foxes have suffered 14 losses in their last 15 league outings and have failed to score in seven consecutive Premier League games, becoming only the fourth team in top-flight history to do so.
In a protest before the match, fans began gathering outside the stadium 45 minutes before kick-off and entered the ground only after nine minutes, symbolizing the number of global ticket partners the club has. As a result, many supporters were unaware of Grealish’s goal until after they had taken their seats.
Grealish’s finish was a simple tap-in from Savinho’s precise cutback, but the England international seemed to enjoy the moment. Playing in a central attacking role behind Marmoush, he showcased good movement and was effective against a struggling Leicester defense.
While it remains to be seen if Guardiola was simply rotating his squad ahead of Sunday’s crucial Manchester derby, the manager will need to make important decisions regarding Grealish’s future at the club.
The £100 million midfielder, who still has two years remaining on his contract, has found it challenging to secure a starting spot, particularly with the strong performances of Savinho and Jeremy Doku.
Guardiola has indicated that he expects more from Grealish, especially in terms of goals—an area where Marmoush, following his £59 million January transfer from Eintracht Frankfurt, has already impressed, with five Premier League goals to his name.
In the second half, City’s dominance waned, but there was a positive return for Norway international Oscar Bobb, who had been sidelined with a leg fracture earlier in the season and an ankle injury in February.
Source: Agencies
BDST: 1114 HRS, APR 03, 2025
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