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| Raheem Sterling of Manchester City scores their side's fourth goal from the penalty spot during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Leicester City at Etihad Stadium on December 26, 2021 in Manchester, England. |
Manchester City held off an unlikely Leicester comeback to clinch a ninth successive Premier League win in thrilling style and move six points clear at the top of the table.
It looked like the defending champions had wrapped up the points after only 25 minutes as they led a depleted Foxes side 4-0, with a penalty apiece by Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling on top of strikes by Kevin de Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan.
Leicester had other ideas, however, with three goals in the space of 10 second-half minutes from James Maddison, Ademola Lookman and Kelechi Iheanacho giving them hope.
A header by Aymeric Laporte restored order and gave the home side much-needed breathing space, before Sterling's second made sure of the points late on, but what had started out as a walk in the park will be remembered as a much sterner test for the league leaders.
