First-half goals from Jack Grealish and Omar Marmoush seal win for Man City
But victory is soured by heavy protest from supporters over club ticketing policy
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By NATHAN SALT
Published: 16:49 EDT, 2 April 2025 | Updated: 17:03 EDT, 2 April 2025
The biggest statement made at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night was not made by Jack Grealish, scoring his first Premier League goal in 16 months, or by Leicester City’s historically bad attack, only the fourth in league history to suffer seven straight defeats without mustering a single goal.
No, instead it was made by the Manchester City fans who proverbially stuck two fingers up to ownership by boycotting the first nine minutes in protest against club ticketing policy.
News last week that Viagogo would become the ninth external ticketing website to partner with City was the straw that broke the camel’s back for supporters’ groups. For all the success Pep Guardiola and his staff have delivered in his eight years here, the financial squeeze on fans is now at breaking point in these parts.
Three groups — 1894, Trade Union Blues and MCFC Fans Foodbank — mobilised and thousands of empty seats, even when a roar went up at Grealish’s goal two minutes in, was a showing far more defiant than the one produced by Ruud van Nistelrooy’s hapless Foxes.
Guardiola made six changes to the side that squeezed past Bournemouth in the FA Cup at the weekend, with Phil Foden, Bernardo Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, Abdukodir Khusanov and Mateo Kovacic all dropping to the bench.
Academy starlet Nico O’Reilly, who bagged two assists in the cup win at Bournemouth, was among those promoted, O’Reilly for his first ever start in the Premier League.
There are plenty of empty seats at the Etihad Stadium as fans boycott Wednesday's match
Supporters make their feelings clear in the build-up to the Premier League clash with Leicester
Jack Grealish scores in just the fifth minute but many fans missed the goal due to their protest
Erling Haaland was missing too, the first game in what is expected to be a seven-week absence with an ankle injury that left him on crutches over the weekend.
There was a change in the dugout to contend with for City as well with Juanma Lillo filling in for Guardiola after he picked up a touchline ban for his third yellow card last weekend.
But, and this feels crucial to underline, it was Leicester City on the other side. It was Leicester City, a team on a run of seven straight defeats — make it eight after last night — and just two wins from 16 in all competitions.
So, invariably, this script was written long in advance and long before City fans observing the nine-minute ticket price boycott took their seats.
After 109 seconds City were ahead through, these days at least, the most unlikely source in Jack Grealish.
This was a dream assignment for Grealish, back starting in the Premier League for the first time since facing former side Aston Villa in December, up against a side that are among the worst to ever grace the top flight.
And so he drifted into box as Savinho, set free down the right by Jeremy Doku, drove to the byline before flashing it across for Grealish to convert. Remarkably that was his first league goal since December 2023. His celebration showed just how badly he needed it, too.
Leicester manager Ruud van Nistelrooy cuts a frustrated figure as his side slip to another loss
Omar Marmoush bundles in to double the hosts' advantage after half an hour at the Etihad
The Egypt forward, who joined in January for £63m, is proving a good signing for Man City
Leicester’s players looked dispirited even then, even before it actually got worse and actually got away from them.
Man City v Leicester
MAN CITY (4-2-3-1): Ederson 6; Nunes 6, Dias 6.5, Gvardiol 7 (Reis 90+2), O’Reilly 6.5; Nico 7, Gundogan 6.5 (Lewis 90+1); Savinho 8 (Bobb 85), Grealish 7, Doku 7 (McAtee 78); Marmoush 7.5
Subs not used: Ortega Moreno, Kovacic, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Foden
Scorers: Grealish (2), Marmoush (29)
Booked: Nico
Manager: Juanma Lillo 7
LEICESTER CITY (3-4-2-1): Hermansen 4.5; Faes 4, Coady 5, Thomas 5; Justin 5, Ndidi 6, Soumare 5.5 (Pereira 76), Kristiansen 5 (Okoli 60, 5); Daka 5 (Ayew 81), El Khanouss 6 (Buonanotte 60, 5.5); Vardy 4 (Skipp 46, 5)
Subs not used: Stolarczyk, Mavididi, Coulibaly, De Cordova-Reid
Booked: Vardy, Justin, Thomas, Skipp
Manager: Ruud van Nistelrooy 4
Referee: Darren England 6
The fact they’ve now conceded first in 25 of their 30 league games since promotion last summer hasn’t helped foster much self belief or team spirit - but Ruud van Nistelrooy has a serious job on their hands if many of these stick around in the Championship.
City doubled their lead after 29 minutes after a gift from Leicester — just what you need when your own fans are sarcastically chanting every completed pass, such is the gallows humour these days.
Ruben Dias’ clipped in ball, which initially appeared rather lazy, was fumbled by Leicester goalkeeper Mads Hermansen after Wout Faes ran into his eyeline, allowing Omar Marmoush a tap-in, even if he grazed the underside of the crossbar to find the net.
Leicester took off a sulking Vardy at half-time and he could only pout his way through a second half where Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson was so quiet he could have watched it sat alongside him.
Grealish wanted a penalty soon after the restart after he was clipped but referee Darren England had no interest and Marmoush was blocked when he looked to score his second.
In truth City didn’t need to get out of second gear here to propel themselves back into the top four. Leicester are appalling, and may well finish bottom of the league.
On this evidence, it will be a long while before these two meet as equals again.