Leicester City 0-1 Manchester City: Lampard winner soured by Kompany injury blow

Posted Sunday, December 14, 2014 by Goal.com

Manuel Pellegrini's side barely had to break a sweat in order to see off the Premier League's lowest-ranked side but lost Edin Dzeko in the warm-up before their captain limped out

Manchester City were comfortable in seeing off bottom-of-the-table Leicester City 1-0 at the King Power Stadium, Frank Lampard scoring the decisive goal.

The only real setbacks for Manuel Pellegrini's side were injuries, with Edin Dzeko was injured in the warm-up and replaced by youngster Jose Angel Pozo before captain Vincent Kompany hobbled off the pitch with a hamstring injury towards the end of the second half.

But last year's champions did not need to hit their best form, with loanee Lampard finishing off the only goal of the game five minutes before half-time and the Foxes unable to offer any serious response.

It was City's seventh consecutive win across all competitions but they remain three points behind leaders Chelsea.

Leicester, who drew with Arsenal and beat Manchester United on their own ground earlier in the season, matched their opponents for some periods but a spirited late rally lacked cutting edge. Defeat saw them slip to a ninth loss in an 11-game winless run.

The hosts broke confidently in the third minute as Jamie Vardy sprinted away from Bacary Sagna and Fernando made a vital interception with Jeffrey Schlupp poised to convert.

Vardy led the charge for Nigel Pearson's team in the opening stages, running at the Manchester City defence in the 12th minute before Eliaquim Mangala did enough to force his shot behind.

The champions' anticipated lack of presence up front meant Leicester were able to confidently launch regular attacks and goalkeeper Joe Hart was grasping at thin air when Esteban Cambiasso's curling free kick flew narrowly wide.

Hamer made an excellent 32nd-minute save to keep Yaya Toure's shot out of the bottom corner but he could do nothing five minutes before the break as Lampard deftly turned a shot home from close range, following fine work by Samir Nasri on the left of the Leicester box.

Pellegrini's men absorbed further pressure after the break before Toure's pass released Nasri, whose 56th-minute cross was sent wide at the near post by Silva.

Referee Jon Moss was unmoved by Leicester penalty claims when Mangala bundled into Vardy at the near post but the earlier rhythm of Leicester's attacks was absent by the time Pearson sent on top scorer Leonardo Ulloa.

The former Brighton striker swivelled to shoot in the 80th minute, Kompany's replacement Martin Demichelis deflecting the effort wide with Hart wrong-footed, and the same player hooked a bouncing ball over in stoppage time as Manchester City hung on.