Manchester City reclaimed fourth place in the Premier League table after first-half goals from Jack Grealish and Omar Marmoush propelled them over a hapless Leicester City at the Etihad.
While thousands of City fans waited on the concourse until the ninth minute, Grealish broke his long Premier League goal drought with a strike inside two minutes to open the scoring.
Marmoush increased the lead when Mads Hermansen dropped the ball at his feet, and City cruised home against a terrible team that posed no attacking danger.
All-action Lillo
One of the unforeseen consequences of Guardiola’s suspension for this game was the opportunity to see Juanma Lillo back on the touchline and directing affairs for City.
When Guardiola had back surgery last year, the 59-year-old took over for a few games, and he is an active and fascinating figure when given the opportunity to take control.
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That’s not the side we typically see from Guardiola’s right-hand man, but the manager trusts him to lead the team in his absence. On Wednesday, there did not appear to be much communication between the dugout and Guardiola, who was high in the seats. Reported By Manchester Evening News
Lillo was in charge of many topics, including early tactical discussions with Marmoush and Matheus Nunes, but he is most animated when he sees something he dislikes. He shook his head vigorously midway through the first half, and after one move failed, he went back to his dugout, crossed his arms together, evidently unhappy over something he didn’t want to see again.
But he demonstrated when he was pleased again, and he did so after only one second-half move. Grealish took up the ball centrally and surged into the Leicester area, sending a pass inside to Nico O’Reilly. The left-back found space with a central run, and while the shot was stopped, Lillo appreciated both men’s intent.
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