Vincent Kompany scored a goal-of-the-season contender 20 minutes from time as Manchester City edged out Leicester City 1-0 at the Etihad Stadium to close in on another Premier League title.
The Foxes held out for 70 minutes, at which point Kompany sent a rocket of a strike into the top corner of the net to move his side back to the top of the table with one game to play.
Leicester could have dented their opponents' title hopes at the end of a nervy match, only for ex-Man City striker Kelechi Iheanacho to waste a good opportunity.
Relive how the 90 minutes of action unfolded with Sports Mole's live text coverage below.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the Premier League meeting between Manchester City and Leicester City at the Etihad Stadium.
Liverpool beat Newcastle United 3-2 on Saturday to move two points clear at the summit, but the defending champions can regain top spot if they win this game in hand.
Man City have won 16 of their last 17 top-flight matches and have just two more games to tick off to become the first side in a decade to retain the title.
Leicester, who beat the Citizens in the reverse fixture five months ago, require victory if they are to achieve their aim of finishing seventh.
MAN CITY TEAM NEWS!
STARTING XI: Ederson; Walker, Kompany, Laporte, Zinchenko; D.Silva, Gundogan, Foden; Bernardo, Aguero, Sterling
SUBS: Muric, Danilo, Stones, Otamendi, Sane, Mahrez, Jesus
LEICESTER TEAM NEWS!
STARTING XI: Schmeichel; Pereira, Evans, Maguire, Chilwell; Albrighton, Tielemans, Ndidi, Choudhury, Maddison; Vardy
SUBS: Ward, Morgan, Fuchs, Mendy, Gray, Barnes, Iheanacho
KICKOFF: Man City show one change from their nervy 1-0 win over Burnley last weekend - teenage midfielder Foden comes in for Sane, meaning a place in the frontline for Bernardo. Leicester go with an unchanged XI from the 3-0 win against Arsenal, meanwhile. The hosts get us up and running in the final Monday night game of 2018-19!
The Citizens, who have had eight days' rest between matches - a rare luxury for them this season - make a fast start. Walker wins a corner down the right, which ultimately comes to little. Sterling pushes Maguire and referee Mike Dean awards a free kick to the opposition.
Vardy has had a couple of bright moments for Leicester, who have settled pretty well. The visitors are knocking the ball around in a patient manner. Chilwell gets the better of Walker down the Foxes' left but he can only pick out Kompany with the cross.
Rodgers will be delighted with the start his side have made to the match. The Foxes have not really created anything, as such, but they have kept their opponents very quiet. Aguero nearly changed all that but he could not get a shot away from the edge of the box.
STATS! There are some good omens for Man City tonight. They are unbeaten across all competitions this season in games which Kompany and Laporte have started together, and they have won all 20 Premier League games in which Zinchenko has featured prior to today.
SHOT! Leicester are looking the more threatening side in the opening 10 minutes. Three shots in quick succession are blocked in the opposition box - Pereira being denied by a sliding Kompany from the best of them. The home fans are very nervy.
SAVE! This is the home side's best moment of the match so far. Walker plays the ball over the top, Foden chests it down and half-volleys it on target. The shot is too central, though, and Schmeichel barely has to break stride to keep it out.
That chance for Foden came as a result of Chilwell being caught out of position slightly. The Foxes are certainly not sitting back this evening - they are here for the win, knowing that they need all three points to finish seventh.
SAVE! Blue Moon rings around the Etihad Stadium as Tielemans, who has had a massive impact at Leicester during his short loan spell, gets a shot away from 25 yards. It is aimed down the middle and Ederson deals with it in a routine manner.
Man City are struggling to create much of anything. Walker decides to have a go from 25 yards and is miles off target with his attempt. There is still a long way to go, but the Citizens are looking far from their best.
Walker wins a corner out of Chilwell down the right. Gundogan goes deep with it and Sterling completely misses the volley. It falls to Foden to strike, sending the ball into the stands. That about sums things up from the hosts' perspective so far.
Pereira is played in down the right but he is unable to keep the ball in play. Leicester are probing away down that flank, seemingly targeting Zinchenko. The Foxes are more than standing their ground - they have arguably been the more threatening side.
YELLOW CARD! David Silva lunges in on Tielemans to earn himself the first yellow card of the game. That came a minute after the ball hit Evans on the arm in the penalty area, but a spot kick was never going to be awarded.
Evans slides in on Sterling five yards outside the box and wins the ball cleanly. The Man City fans in attendance feel otherwise and jeer referee Mike Dean's decision. More than a quarter of the match has been played and it has been a very frustrating evening for the hosts so far.
Raheem Sterling pictured on the ball during the first half of this so-far goalless clash at the Etihad Stadium. There has been one shot on target apiece, though neither Ederson nor Schmeichel have had a great deal to do.
Man City knock the ball around but David Silva overhits it out of play to end the attack. Leicester have dropped off a little over the last five minutes, focusing more on remaining compact behind the ball. Silva then trips Maddison and is given another warning by the referee - he has already been booked, remember.
Bernardo initially does well but he cannot find the target with his attempt. The ball goes behind for a corner, which drops to Foden on the edge of the box. Tielemans quickly charges out and makes the block. Leicester struggle to clear their lines and Aguero nearly pounces at the back post - it will be another corner.
OFF THE BAR! Aguero gets his head to the corner at the near post, sending the ball against the crossbar. It drops down on the line but, unlike last weekend at Burnley, the whole of the ball did not cross the whole of the line and it remains 0-0. Fine margins, indeed!
Leicester against fail to deal with a delivery into the box and David Silva's shot causes some panic, but it goes through without a touch. Man City have another weak penalty appeal turned down following a good challenge from Ndidi in the box.
The defending champions have looked a lot more in control of the game over the last 10 minutes. They have come close through that Aguero header and also had another couple of nearly moments. Can Leicester hold on until half time and regroup?
Man City's latest attack ends in a disappointing manner as Sterling's cross is overhit out of play for a goal kick. That came shortly after Ederson had some rare goalkeeping to do, positioning himself well to cut out Albrighton's cross.
Leicester are defending very well at the end of this first half. Foden's cross deflects into the air and Maguire takes no risks as he heads the ball behind for a corner. Easy to say in hindsight, of course, but he should have nodded it back to his keeper.
Man City's corner comes to nothing. The initial delivery is dealt with, as it the second cross, and Gundogan then blazes wide.
The ball is lifted over the top of Leicester's backline but Sterling's first-time cross is turned behind for another corner. A couple of crosses come into the box but the visitors stand firm, before Sterling's shot is blocked by teammate David Silva.
YELLOW CARD! This is not a great challenge from experienced Man City centre-back Kompany, who follows through on Maddison and catches his opponent on the shin. A yellow card is the correct decision.
SAVE! Maguire backs off a little too much and Bernardo Silva is able to carry the ball forward and shoot from 25 yards. Schmeichel gets down to his left to make the save right at the end of the first half.
HALF TIME: MAN CITY 0-0 LEICESTER
A goalless first half comes to an end at the Etihad Stadium. Man City had a couple of shots on target, neither of which came close to truly troubling Schmeichel in the Leicester goal, though they did hit the crossbar through Aguero's header. Guardiola has a big team talk to give at the interval!
Man City had eight days' rest from their 1-0 win over Burnley - a rare luxury this season for Pep Guardiola's men - but they have been unable to put that to good use in a quiet first half. Phil Foden came in for Leroy Sane in the only change made by Guardiola from that most recent outing and the midfielder tested Kasper Schmeichel 11 minutes in with a half-volley inside the box.
Schmeichel had just one other stop to make in the opening 45 minutes, getting down to his left to keep out Bernardo's shot right at the end of the half. In-between those two weak attempts, Sergio Aguero got on the end of a corner at the near post and sent his header against the crossbar - the ball coming back down but, unlike at Turf Moor last weekend, it did not cross the line.
Leicester, needing victory to keep alive their slim top-seven hopes, had a couple of promising moments as Youri Tielemans sent a shot down the middle for Ederson to save and Ricardo Pereira was denied by Vincent Kompany's block. The Foxes have become just the third side to prevent Manchester City scoring in the first half of a Premier League game at the Etihad this season after Watford and West Ham.
BENCH WATCH!
MAN CITY SUBS: Muric, Danilo, Stones, Otamendi, Sane, Mahrez, Jesus
LEICESTER SUBS: Ward, Morgan, Fuchs, Mendy, Gray, Barnes, Iheanacho
KICKOFF: Guardiola has decided against making any changes at half time, so it is as you were. Mahrez and Sane are on the bench - one of the attacking duo will surely come on in the next 15 minutes if it remains goalless. What a huge second half this is!
David Silva swipes a leg in the direction of the ball but only succeeds in catching Albrighton. The Spanish midfielder was booked in the first half and was later given a warning by referee Mike Dean - he is walking a fine line.
Guardiola's men needed 63 minutes to find a breakthrough goal at Turf Moor eight days ago. It is looking as though it is going to be another nervy conclusion to the match as Man City have started the second half the same way they started the opening 45 minutes - a little off the pace.
Sane has been sent to warm up by Guardiola. Mike Dean awards the hosts a free kick for a foul on Bernardo near the sideline, leading to ironic cheers from the home fans. In the referee's defence, he has got most things right tonight.
CHANCE! Leicester are still looking very calm. A corner is won by the hosts but it is once again dealt with. The ball comes back into the box and David Silva loops it across goal, only for Sterling to get under it and head over the crossbar from six yards.
Bernardo and Sterling are both off target with their attempts as the frustration levels continue to grow. The Citizens are starting to knock on the door but time is not exactly on their side as we have played nearly an hour.
MAN CITY SUB! This is the sub Guardiola was always likely to make. Sane comes on for Foden, meaning Bernardo will drop into a deeper position. It is essentially a 4-2-4 formation, though, as the hosts are already going all-out attack.
SHOT! The Man City pressure is starting to sell now. The ball is teed up for Gundogan on the edge of the box and the German midfielder's shot spins wide of Schmeichel's far post. Leicester have offered little in an attacking sense since the restart.
PENALTY APPEAL! Man City have a third penalty appeal turned down and, unlike the previous two, this was a serious shout. Sterling tried to squeeze between two opposition players and looked to be barged off the ball. That falls into the 'seen them given' category.
STAT! Man City had scored by this point in each of their previous 18 home Premier League games this season. Worryingly for the hosts, Leicester have finally got out of defence mode and are now offering more of an attacking threat.
CLOSE! Maguire carries the ball forward down the left and plays it to Maddison in the middle. The young midfielder has space to get a shot away from 25 yards and the ball does not end far wide of Ederson's goal at all. It is hard to describe how tense the atmosphere is!
Choudhury is just about doing enough to hold off the Man City onslaught. Sterling tries to get away from his opponent but the best he can manage is a corner, which again does not have any sort of end product. There is a little over 20 minutes to go here.
Leicester are regularly hitting Man City on the counter now, with the hosts knowing that they have to take risks. A loose ball nearly falls for Albrighton to strike on the edge of the box but it is cleared before he can pounce. The Citizens are very sloppy on the ball tonight.
SAVE! David Silva's pass is not cut out by Evans and Aguero has just Schmeichel to beat. The usually-prolific striker turns but is denied by the Leicester keeper down low. That was the champions' best chance of the evening by quite some distance.
GOAL! MAN CITY 1-0 LEICESTER (VINCENT KOMPANY)
WHAT. A. STRIKE! Just when Man City needed a hero, Kompany stepped forward with a goal of the highest quality. The long-serving skipper sends a rocket of a shot into the top corner of the net from 25 yards. Schmeichel leapt across to his left but he could not get a touch - no keeper would have.
Leicester's defenders basically stood off Kompany, inviting him to shoot. Guardiola will surely be considering a change now because his side are set out in an ultra-attacking formation. Danilo is a possibility to shore up the wide positions.
SAVE! Guardiola is livid at Sane as some sloppy play leads the Albrighton getting a shot away from 25 yards, which is aimed straight at Ederson. The City boss really could do with making a change as Leicester are looking very threatening. Barnes is on for Tielemans.
Man City have finally settled down. The Citizens fell apart for five minutes or so after scoring but Leicester could not capitalise. Guardiola would love a second goal to properly settle the nerves for the final 10 minutes.
Guardiola's men have taken the sting out of the match but you sense that there could yet be one more twist in the final 10 minutes. Sane, who clearly does not have the trust of his manager, tries to cut inside from the left but is unable to do so. Rodgers is readying another change...
LEICESTER SUB! Iheanacho, sold to Leicester by Guardiola a couple of years ago, comes on for Maddison. Surely not?...
Maguire heads the ball to Bernardo, whose shot sails high over the bar. A cross into the middle is then helped behind for a corner, which Gundogan takes an age over taking. Evans heads it away near the front post once the ball arrives in the box.
Man City are putting their game management to very good use. Leicester are not really getting a sniff of the ball and the hosts now have around 10 more minutes to see through. This will be a truly massive win for Guardiola's men, leaving them on the brink of back-to-back titles.
SUBS! Albrighton is unable to keep the ball in play and is subbed off moments later, with Gray on in his place - some fresh legs out wide. Aguero is the next City player to make way, replaced by Jesus. Aguero went to the far side of the field and took a good minute to leave the field - very smart!
CHANCE! This was almost the moment Man City fans were dreading. Iheanacho is played in by Choudhury but he sends his first-time shot wide of the target. The former City man should have converted from that position - that is a major let-off for the hosts.
YELLOW CARD! Leicester win a free kick on the half-way line and Chilwell launches it forward. The ball bounces in the box but Man City get rid and Iheanacho, who missed a glorious chance a couple of minutes ago, scythes down Jesus to concede a free kick and earn himself a yellow.
MAN CITY SUB! David Silva is replaced by Stones in Man City's third and final change. Guardiola is clearly looking to protect this one-goal lead. Just three minutes have been added on here.
FULL TIME: MAN CITY 1-0 LEICESTER
Man City move to within one win of another Premier League title thanks to this nervy 1-0 victory over Leicester at the Etihad Stadium. The Foxes became the first visiting side to keep out Man City in the opening hour of a league match this season, but Kompany fired home the winning goal 20 minutes from time to lift the Citizens above Liverpool at the top of the table.
That concludes Sports Mole's live text coverage of events from the Etihad Stadium. An on-the-whistle report can be found by clicking here, and be sure to join us again tomorrow evening as we bring you updates from the Champions League semi-final second leg between Liverpool and Barcelona at Anfield. See you then!
