If Manchester City’s season has been a triumph of strength in depth, perhaps it was fitting that a man who has often appeared their third-choice left-back helped condemn the team third in the table to defeat. Mathematically, they now only need 11 points to become champions. In reality, they are almost there.
City's 26th win in 27 games in all competitions came courtesy of just Benjamin Mendy's second goal for the club, augmented by Gabriel Jesus' 13th of the season. Their selections were signs that priorities have shifted. City were able to cast their thoughts ahead to Tuesday's Champions League game with Borussia Dortmund, rest many of their premier players and still get a modicum of revenge for September's 5-2 thrashing by Leicester.
Then their chances of regaining the title felt remote. Their subsequent surge has been so remarkable, and winning such a habit, that they could omit many of this season’s revelations – John Stones, Joao Cancelo, Ilkay Gundogan – and still beat a Leicester team who had defeated each of the supposedly big six.
City have shared the goals around this season yet Mendy still made for an unlikely scorer. But, seconds after Riyad Mahrez had a shot parried by his former Leicester teammate Kasper Schmeichel, Mendy turned away from Marc Albrighton to direct a shot into the far corner.
This was a game of one actual goal and two disallowed strikes. Mendy was not the only surprise selection as Pep Guardiola turned to a group who had hardly been required by their countries in the international break in a quest for freshness.
He restored Sergio Aguero to the side, though his was not a happy return; after a week of tributes to City's greatest goalscorer ahead of his summer departure, he began by inadvertently costing them an opener. Fernandinho connected sweetly with a shot that flew past Kasper Schmeichel but Aguero was offside and in his eyeline. Aguero subsequently struck two volleys at goal, one wayward and the other intercepted by Timothy Castagne, before being substituted.
Kevin de Bruyne was a rarity, a player who had been busy in World Cup qualifiers and who started, and he was a driving force. He posed a threat with his long-range shooting, whipped a free kick against the bar and drilled another shot just wide. Meanwhile, Fernandinho was feisty, Mahrez drew a fine save from Schmeichel and Jesus lifted a shot over; while he and Aguero both started, the Brazilian was on the left flank.
There were some similarities with City’s previous game at Everton, another side who played 5-3-2 and challenged Guardiola’s men to break them down. Mendy eventually obliged and Jesus secured victory. De Bruyne played a defence-splitting pass, the substitute Raheem Sterling centred selflessly and the Brazilian had a tap in.
Leicester were more muted; there was no second five-goal haul. Brendan Rodgers decided against parachuting a fit-again James Maddison back into the starting XI – instead, he was an influential substitute – and kept Kelechi Iheanacho, who has signed a new contract, alongside Jamie Vardy. Briefly, it appeared the veteran had added to his haul of goals against Guardiola’s team.
A scorer of a hat-trick in September touched the ball twice in the first half-hour but sprinted on to Ayoze Perez’s through ball to round Ederson; the finish was simple, but the celebrations curtailed by an offside flag. Ederson held a shot from Youri Tielemans and, just before Mendy struck, the Belgian had a second effort brilliantly deflected wide by a sliding Ruben Dias. Once again, he was terrific. Yet again, City won.
