Manchester City 3-1 Leicester City: Hits and Flops from the encounter | Premier League 2019-20

#3 Riyad Mahrez – Hit

Mahrez (R) popped up with the equaliser

Pep Guardiola decided to ring in the changes post the 3-0 triumph at Arsenal, meaning that quite a few who hadn’t featured last Sunday were called upon. Riyad Mahrez represented one of the beneficiaries as the Algerian began the game from the outset against his former employers on Saturday. And, the winger ensured that his manager wasn’t too unfounded when asking the former to provide the requisite thrust on the right flank.

In the first period, Mahrez looked a bundle of energy and was undoubtedly the hosts’ most potent attacking weapon. The Algerian tied Ben Chilwell in knots with his movement and also linked up well with those around him. Additionally, he was brave enough to ask for the ball in tight circumstances and his touch rarely let him down as he brought countless passes down from the Mancunian sky.

Most impressively though, the Algerian was willing to shift onto his right foot when isolated in 1v1 situations against the Leicester defenders. Consequently, it added another string to his attacking bow and created a new set of problems for the visitors.

To cap off his sizzling performance, he popped up with the equalizer, albeit via a massive deflection off Caglar Soyuncu. Even after the break, Mahrez looked sharp as he kept pushing and probing and he could’ve bagged himself another goal had Kasper Schmeichel not thrown out a giant right palm, just beyond the hour-mark.

In 2019-20, several unforeseeable ailments have plagued the Cityzens, whether it be the injury to Aymeric Laporte or the wretched form of John Stones and Nicolas Otamendi. Thus, at such a juncture, Guardiola would be extremely pleased that Mahrez, a player that had been on the periphery last term, has started carving a niche for himself in the side.