After two losses in the past week Manchester City got back to winning ways with a unconvincing 2-0 win against bottom club Leicester City. Centre half Vincent Kompany was one of five players dropped by Pellegrini following the back-to-back defeats to Barcelona and Liverpool. Pablo Zabaleta, Samir Nasri, Fernandinho and Edin Dzeko were also paid the price for the Anfield defeat but Pellegrini's shake-up paid off with goals from David Silva and sub James Milner. This made room for Wilfried Bony to make his long-awaited full debut.
Leicester threatened first, with Jeff Schlupp completely wrong-footing Eliaquim Mangala on the counterattack. Martin Demichelis came across to help out his defensive partner.
Leicester then had two penalty appeals in quick succession. Schlupp was unlucky not to get a decision in his favor when it appeared he was impeded by Bony. Andrej Kramaric then went down as he raced with Joe Hart to meet Riyad Mahrez’s throughball but the City goalkeeper definitly got a touch on the ball before the pair collided.
Navas was berated by Yaya Toure after misplacing a pass but he was not deterred, firing in a good cross from which Bony forced goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer to save.
Navas then tested Schwarzer himself with a good effort from the edge of the box before Silva teed up Bony with a clever ball, only for the Ivorian to slice high and wide.
Silva finally scored on the stroke of half time, nonchalantly rolling the ball into the back of the net after Bony's shot had been blocked by Wes Morgan.
Leicester responded well to going behind and Kramaric shook the side-netting from a dangerous free-kick five minutes after the break, though Leicester felt the infringement took place inside the box.
Mahrez rattled a post and City saw a host of chances pass by as nerves among home fans began to fray.
City wrapped up the three points in the 88th minute when good work by Toure and Navas created the opening for substitute James Milner to slot the ball home from close range.