Foxes close to making Blues pay with change

SUBSTITUTIONS ALMOST BACKFIRED FOR PEP

-  DANIEL MURPHY

BLUES fans thought they had nothing to worry about, maybe even Pep Guardiola did too.

Little wonder. City were three goals up within 25 minutes and cruising in the gentle spring sunshine. Opponents Leicester City are languishing in the relegation zone with no win since February, playing in their first match under an interim manager and carrying themselves with the downcast and beleaguered look of a condemned person that has consigned themselves to the gallows.

It's the hope that kills you, it is often said, but it's what keeps you alive as well and just the slightest glimpse can be enough to restore belief and inspire one last escape attempt, to go down swinging.

City came away with the three points on Saturday but they gave Leicester just enough hope to nearly cost them dearly.

Guardiola had already made a surprising team selection by making two changes to what appeared to be an unshakable defence. It seemed the Blues boss had settled on his team for the rest of the season and that there was little hope for Kyle Walker and Aymeric Laporte to get back in it unless injuries or suspension struck. Yet they both came in for their first starts in a while with Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake being rested instead.