Leicester City vs. Manchester City: Winners and Losers from Premier League Game
Frank Lampard was the only goalscorer at King Power Stadium, Saturday, as Manchester City defeated Leicester City 1-0.
The goal was the former Chelsea midfielder's 175th in the English top flight and put him level with Thierry Henry for joint-fourth on the division's all-time scoring list.
With the victory, the reigning champions kept to within three points of leaders Chelsea, while the hosts, with just two wins so far this season, stayed glued to the bottom of the table.
Following are some of the winners and losers from the encounter.
Winner: David Silva, Who Played the Full 90 Minutes After Returning from Injury
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David Silva was a second-half substitute against AS Roma during the week, but on Saturday the Manchester City playmaker made his starting return after a 37-day absence with a knee injury.
He played the full 90 minutes at King Power Stadium, over the course of which he completed 89 percent of his passes, helped set up the Frank Lampard goal and made an important, 80th-minute tackle on the dangerous Riyad Mahrez.
In a match that lacked both tempo and spark, the Spain international provided a performance that, in the end, proved vital to his side's result.
Loser: Edin Dzeko, Who Suffered an Injury While Warming Up
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Sergio Aguero's latest knee injury was supposed to have provided Edin Dzeko with a string of starts for Manchester City.
Naturally, the Bosnia-Herzegovina striker was slated to play from the opening whistle at King Power Stadium, but during warm-ups he pulled a calf muscle and was forced to make way for Jose Pozo.
The knock was confirmed by City's official Twitter account, and Pozo went on to do little of anything before being withdrawn in the 74th minute.
Dzeko has scored just two Premier League goals so far this season.
Winner: Leicester City's Cambiasso-Drinkwater Combination, Which Limited Damage
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Quite impressively, Leicester City midfielders Esteban Cambiasso and Danny Drinkwater combined for eight interceptions on Saturday against the Premier League champions.
Overall, the two helped shield the Foxes defense as Manchester City enjoyed 53 percent possession, and Cambiasso created more than a few problems for the visiting defense from set-piece situations.
While neither could set up that elusive Leicester goal, they showed themselves to be worthy combatants while keeping the guests' goalscoring opportunities to a minimum.
If Leicester end up being relegated in the spring, it won't be down to a lack of strength and competence in the centre of the park.
Loser: Jose Pozo, Who Didn't Take His Chance in the City Attack
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Jose Pozo wasn't supposed to start Saturday's match.
Initially listed among the Manchester City substitutes, the 18-year-old was only inserted into manager Manuel Pellegrini's starting line-up after Edin Dzeko pulled up with an injury during warm-ups.
But rather than taking his chance and making an impact in the City attack, Pozo did next to nothing—touching the ball only 17 times, per WhoScored, and taking just a single shot before being withdrawn in the 74th minute.
Given the injuries to Dzeko and Sergio Aguero, nevermind Pozo's ineffectiveness, it's likely Pellegrini will be on the lookout for another centre-forward during the winter transfer period.
Swansea's Wilfried Bony is an option and has already been linked with a move to Etihad Stadium, according to the Express.
Winner: Frank Lampard, Who Scored the Only Goal
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Frank Lampard made only his second start in Manchester City's last 13 matches on Saturday, but his presence proved invaluable as the champions picked up an important three points away to Leicester.
In the 40th minute the former Chelsea midfielder accepted David Silva's pass before picking out Samir Nasri, making a run into the goalmouth, receiving the return and finishing with his left foot.
With the goal, his 175th in the Premier League, Lampard pulled level with Thierry Henry on the English top flight's all-time scoring chart, as pointed out by Eurosport.
Loser: Wes Morgan, Who Lost His Concentration for a Single, Disastrous Second
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Wes Morgan was generally solid in defense for Leicester City on Saturday.
Over the course of the 90 minutes, the 30-year-old made five interceptions and a pair of clearances and was generally solid in the air.
But in the 40th minute, Morgan was caught woefully out of position as Samir Nasri squared the ball to the onrushing Frank Lampard, who tapped it past goalkeeper Ben Hamer.
It was a lapse in concentration that allowed the guests to score the only goal of the match, and it perhaps denied Foxes an important point in the standings.
All statistics courtesy of Squawka unless otherwise stated.
