Dzeko’s double helps City past Foxes

Leicester 1 Manchester City 3

But bad news about top scorer Sergio Aguero may dampen City spirits.

Even without Aguero, City have class though and Dzeko took his chance to shine after Aleksandar Kolarov opened the scoring.

Leicester, third in the Championship, were outclassed by a City side showing eight changes. The Foxes did finish strongly and claimed a deflected Lloyd Dyer consolation.

Manuel Pellegrini rotated his squad, but the City side he fielded was still powerful. Vincent Kompany, David Silva and Pablo Zabaleta were retained from the weekend while Joleon Lescott and James Milner were among those to come in with keeper Joe Hart.

The downside for City, who now have semi-finals to look forward to in January, was an injury which sees Zabaleta join Aguero on the sidelines, with what appeared a hamstring problem. Pellegrini could now have a problem in defence for a Christmas programme that includes a home clash with Liverpool on St Stephen’s Day.

City took control quickly last night, and Kasper Schmeichel could do little to keep out Kolarov’s superb free-kick after eight minutes from 30 yards.

Dzeko got on the scoresheet five minutes before the break heading past Schmeichel from a Milner cross. City continued to dominate after the break and on 53 minutes Dzeko turned in Milner’s cut-back at the near post.

Afterwards Pellegrini suggested Aguero could be out of action for eight weeks — which would make the striker doubtful for the Champions League tie against Barcelona in February. Pellegrini said: “It is very difficult. The doctor has said at least one month or eight weeks. We’ll see.”

LEICESTER: Schmeichel, Wasiewski, Morgan, Miquel, Konchesky, Knockaert (James 45), Drinkwater, King, Dyer, Taylor-Fletcher (Vardy 45), Nugent (Schlupp 68).

MAN CITY:Hart, Zabaleta (Boyata 12), Lescott, Kompany, Kolarov, Milner, Garcia, Rodwell, Navas, Silva (Nasri 69mins), Dzeko

Referee: Roger East (Wiltshire).