Leicester v Manchester City player ratings: Struggle for Vardy; class from De Bruyne, Fernandinho and Jesus

City take a step closer to the Premier League title with emphatic victory

LEICESTER CITY RATINGS: Kasper Schmeichel – 7. Quick to make sure the officials spotted Aguero had impeded his view when Fernandinho beat him from distance early on. Repelled two shots from Mahrez. EPA

Timothy Castagne – 7. Was in the right place to block off an Aguero shot, and stood up well to the waves of attack that came down his flank. AP

Daniel Amartey – 6. Lucky to get away with a botched clearance in the first half, and was hassled by the fluid City forward line throughout. AP

Wesley Fofana – 7. Made an important block near his goalline after Amartey’s sliced clearance played the Foxes into trouble, and looked his usual classy self. AP

Jonny Evans – 6. Might have been sharper to block off the space when Benjamin Mendy chopped inside for his goal, and he was left chasing when City netted their second, too. Getty

Wilfred Ndidi – 7. Picked up the first booking of the game for a foul on De Bruyne, but remained inexhaustible in his job blunting the away side’s attacks. AP

Youri Tielemans – 6. Warmed Ederson’s hands with a shot from distance after the restart, but was starved of quality possession because of City's monopoly on the ball. Getty

Marc Albrighton – 6. Characteristically industrious, but it said much about the tough job he faced that his most notable contribution was an interception when City were breaking fast. EPA

Ayoze Perez – 6. Played the pass from which Vardy netted, only for it to be ruled out just as the first half whistle was sounding. Over-employed with defending rather than creating. EPA

Kelechi Iheanacho – 6. A mixed bag. Created an opening for Tielemans with a rapid breakaway, but wasted another good crossing chances, in the few glimpses he had of the ball. EPA

Jamie Vardy – 5. His drought goes on. He had a goal chalked off when he was offside from one of Leicester’s few attack forays in the first half. For most of the rest of the time, he wouldn’t have minded a glimpse of the ball, let alone a goal. Getty

SUBS: Ricardo Pereira – 6. Set up his fellow substitute Maddison with a neat pass, only for the midfielder to scuff his shot limply at Ederson. AP

James Maddison – 6. Picked himself up after being felled by a foul by Walker to get off a shot, but he could only bundle it tamely at Ederson. Getty

Papy Mendy – NA. Brought on seemingly with the main intention of stopping Ndidi from edging any nearer to a red card. Reuters

MANCHESTER CITY RATINGS: Ederson – 6. The Brazilian goalkeeper scarcely saw serious work, yet still managed to pick up a booking for time wasting. EPA

Kyle Walker – 6. The England full back had a comfortable afternoon, but was a shade lucky not to be booked for a hefty tackle on Maddison. PA

Benjamin Mendy – 7. An unfamiliar goalscorer – all the more so with his right foot – as he netted just his second goal for City. Showed great composure to break the deadlock. AP

Aymeric Laporte – 7. Had to be alert to thwart an Iheanacho break against the run of play in the first half, and was assured throughout. Reuters

Ruben Dias – 7. Made a brilliant goal saving block to deny Tielemans after a fast break by Iheanacho, having been a spectator for much of the time until that point. AP

Rodrigo – 6. Neat and tidy as ever, not least at defensive corners, but did little to stand out. Booked for a foul in the feisty final throes. Reuters

Fernandinho – 8. Denied a goal when his 30-yard drive was ruled out because Aguero was offside. Remarkably skilled at making fouls without being booked. Made it to the 82nd minute before he saw yellow this time. AP

Kevin De Bruyne – 9. Struck the bar with a crisp free kick, although it seemed a lucky award in the first place. His exquisite through ball carved open the clincher for Jesus. PA

Riyad Mahrez – 7. Should have done better when he shot too close to Schmeichel in the lead up to half time. Ditto later on, when a sweeping move ended with him shooting wide. Getty

Gabriel Jesus – 8. Set up a chance that Mahrez should have scored from with a deft backheeled lay off. Got his goal after initially trying to set up Sterling in unselfish fashion instead. AP

Sergio Aguero – 6. Cut a frustrated figure at the end of an emotional week. Blazed his first opening high and wide from a tricky, left-footed volleyed chance, had a couple of other chances, then made way for Sterling. Reuters

SUBS: Raheem Sterling – 7. Exchanged passes with Jesus to set up City’s second, after being introduced as a replacement for Aguero. Getty

Ferran Torres – NA. Given a few minutes at the end, after his successful international break with Spain, but he hardly saw the ball. Reuters

Phil Foden – NA. Tried to get a smile out of De Bruyne when he came on to replace him, but the Belgian was far too grumpy to reciprocate. PA

A week in which Manchester City announced their all-time leading goalscorer is set to leave ended with a win set up by a goal from a player who rarely ever scores.

A Benjamin Mendy strike is a collectors’ item at the best of times. The fact the French left-back scored with his right foot only added to the rarity value.

His second half effort, curved in past Kasper Schmeichel, ended the stubborn resistance of Leicester City, and Gabriel Jesus doubled the table-toppers’ advantage shortly after.

The 2-0 win extended City’s lead at the top of the Premier League, and leaves Leicester looking over their shoulders at the sides chasing Champions League football.

Player ratings from the match can be seen in the picture gallery above. To view the next image, click on the arrows or swipe if on a mobile device.