This was a night for sending messages.
Manchester City fans boycotting for nine minutes to send a pointed one to their owners over ticket prices, Ruud van Nistelrooy leaving Harry Winks at home and hooking Jamie Vardy at half-time, but, the most poignant of all, came from Jack Grealish with a message nobody knew was coming.
Thousands knew about the ticketing protest and Van Nistelrooy firing a shot at the experienced members of his dressing room was no great surprise. But as Grealish scored after 109 seconds, looked to the sky and pointed with both hands, only after the match did it become clear why.
Tuesday night was 25 years to the day since Grealish’s younger brother Keelan died from cot death at just nine months old.
Grealish, only four at the time, was choked up when explaining why this goal, his first in the league in 16 months, was as special as they get.
‘It was a nice day,’ an emotional Grealish said. ‘My little brother passed away 25 years ago. It’s a hard day on my family.’
There were plenty of empty seats at the Etihad with fans boycotting the start of the match
Supporters make their feelings clear in the build-up to the Premier League clash with Leicester
Jack Grealish scores in just the fifth minute but many fans missed the goal due to their protest
It was an anniversary that boss Pep Guardiola was not privy either.
‘Jack is an incredible human being,’ Guardiola said. ‘He’s incredibly generous. Something wrong happened for himself. I didn’t know.
‘I can’t imagine how tough it can be for him and his mum and dad and sister and all the family.’
Grealish came in as one of six changes made by Guardiola from the FA Cup win at Bournemouth, with academy starlet Nico O’Reilly another propelled into the side for his first Premier League start.
Phil Foden, Bernardo Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, Abdukodir Khusanov and Mateo Kovacic all dropped to the bench and never made it on. Erling Haaland, who flew to Barcelona this week for treatment on an ankle injury that is set to keep him out for six weeks, was also absent.
There was a change in the dugout to contend with for City as well with Juanma Lillo filling in for Guardiola after he picked up a touchline ban for his third yellow card last weekend.
But, and this feels crucial to underline, it was Leicester City on the other side. It was Leicester City, a team on a run of seven straight league defeats – all without them scoring a goal – and just two wins from 17 in all competitions.
So, invariably, there was little surprise when after 109 seconds City were ahead.
Leicester manager Ruud van Nistelrooy cuts a frustrated figure as his side slip to another loss
Omar Marmoush bundles in to double the hosts’ advantage after half an hour at the Etihad
The Egypt forward, who joined in January for £63m, is proving a good signing for Man City
Thousands did not see it, the south stand particularly empty as disgruntled fans, irked at news last week that Viagogo became the club’s ninth external ticketing website partner, stayed in the concourse.
Three groups – 1894, Trade Union Blues and MCFC Fans Foodbank – mobilised and thousands of empty seats provided the backdrop for Grealish’s celebration after he converted Savinho’s cutback from the right.
In an instant, Leicester City looked beaten. It had taken less than two minutes to crush their spirit.
‘It is to do with personal pride and honour, doing job as good as you can,’ Van Nistelrooy said.
‘That is my drive and how I get up every morning, it demands character and resilience, accept reality, look in the mirror and go back to the players and staff to do better.’
The fact they’ve now conceded first in 25 of their 30 league games since promotion last summer hasn’t helped foster much self belief or team spirit, in truth.
City doubled their lead after 29 minutes after a gift from Leicester – just what you need when your own fans spent the night sarcastically chanting each completed pass.
Ruben Dias’ clipped in ball was fumbled by Leicester goalkeeper Mads Hermansen after Wout Faes ran across his eyeline, allowing Omar Marmoush a tap-in, even if he grazed the underside of the crossbar to find the net.
Leicester took off a sulking Vardy at half-time – ‘resting him’ was Van Nistelrooy’s rather curt explanation after – and he could only pout his way through a second half where Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson was so quiet he could have watched it sat alongside him.
Grealish wanted a penalty soon after the restart after he was clipped but referee Darren England had no interest and Marmoush was blocked when he looked to score his second.
In truth City didn’t need to get out of second gear here to propel themselves back into the top four. Leicester are appalling, and may well finish bottom of the league. On this evidence, it will be a long while before these two meet as equals again.
