Manchester City were ruthless, fell asleep and then woke to end a Leicester resistance that came in a sparkling second-half riposte to the champions, who were 4-0 up at the break. But what Pep Guardiola characterised as a “typical Boxing Day” encounter – a throwback to yesteryear’s high-scoring affairs – might have ended differently if Brendan Rodgers’ men were as merciless as City.
When James Maddison slipped in Kelechi Iheanacho on 70 minutes, the striker was stopped by Ederson from moving the visitors to only 5-4 behind. Marc Albrighton later spurned a headed chance to do the same. If either opening had been taken, there is no knowing what the closing phase might have thrown up.
