MANCHESTER CITY EDS 2, LEICESTER CITY U23 2
Ilkay Gundogan started this game but goals by Lorenzo Gonzalez and Benjamin Garre could not ensure a victory for City after Leicester rallied with two equalisers – a penalty by Layton Ndukwu and a late goal by George Thomas.
Gundogan, Phil Foden, and Brahim Diaz got useful run-outs in Premier League 2 competition against Leicester City at the Etihad.
Gundogan is in the final stages of his rehabilitation from a knee injury that prematurely ended his season last year but looked short of full match fitness.
He was joined in the side by Phil Foden, who has been in the first team squad for City and featured on the bench in the first two games of the season for City, and Brahim Diaz who has also been training with the first team.
Foden’s place on the team bus for the Bournemouth game tomorrow was apparently taken by Fabian Delph with first team boss Pep Guardiola mindful of the current squad weakness on the left side of defence with Benjamin Mendy returning from an injury layoff.
City took the lead after just ten minutes when Lorenzo Gonzalez was put clean through against Foxes reserve ‘keeper Eldin Jakupovic, sidestepping the experienced stopper, and finishing low into the right hand corner of the net.
Jakupovic was almost beaten again ten minutes later when Brahim Diaz danced past two defenders from the right touchline but his turn and left foot shot shaved the post.
Diaz caught the eye on the night, with some good work against multiple opponents, and the kind of tenacity that has seen him called up to the first team squad for training.
The Leicester defence was being tormented by Diaz, whose changes of direction were leaving them flummoxed but George Thomas won a penalty for Leicester he drew a foul in the box.
Layton Ndukwu’s penalty was just too far into the right hand corner for Arijanet Muric to reach as the Foxes dragged themselves back into the game.
Ilkay Gundogan on the road to full return but short of match fitness
There were briefly worrying moments during the first half when Gundogan went down holding his leg after an industrial challenge from Lamine Kaba Sherif but the Foxes midfielder was booked after players gathered around to remonstrate and the German shrugged off the pain and eventually lasted till the hour mark before being substituted.
Benjamin Garre put City back into the lead six minutes after the break with a low drive after being put through by Foden with Diaz involved in the build-up.
Diaz flashed a shot wide of the left hand post three minutes later as City looked to extend their lead.
Both sides tried to push for a goal to change the game as spaces began to open up for both sides with Diaz released several times by some eyecatching passing by Matthew Smith from deep in midfield but City were being outmuscled by a physical Leicester side who levelled it with 7 minutes to go.
Liandro Martis’ cross found Josh Eppiah whose firm shot from 12 yards forced a parried save by Muric but the City goalkeeper could not prevent Thomas from following the loose ball in and drilling home the rebound at the near post.
There were seven added minutes after various stoppages including an injury to substitute Joel Latibeaudiere, who was himself subbed by Nathaniel Ogbeta, but despite late City dominance they couldn’t break down the Foxes for a third goal.
Man City EDS: Arijanet Muric, Demeaco Duhaney, Charlie Oliver, Ed Francis, Jacob Davenport, Matthew Smith, Brahim Diaz, Ilkay Gundogan, Lorenzo Gonzalez, Phil Foden, Benjamin Garre
Man City EDS Subs: Joel Latibeaudiere, Kjetil Haug, Nathaniel Ogbeta, Tomiwa Dele-Bashiru, Taylor Richards
Leicester City U23: Eldin Jakupovic, Alex Pascanu, Connor Wood, Hamza Choudhury, Josh Knight, Layton Ndukwu, Lamine Sherif, Josh Gordon, George Thomas, Admiral Muskwe
Leicester City U23 Subs: Josh Debayo, Daniel Iversen, Kwanya Leshabela, Josh Eppiah, Liandro Martis