U21 Report: Leicester City 6 Manchester City 2

Playing their third match at City’s hunting ground after a loss to Fulham and a draw against Chelsea, the youngsters had registered just one point in the 2014/15 campaign, but raced into a commanding lead against Patrick Vieira’s side.
The Under-21s were bolstered by four first teamers as Anthony Knockaert, Danny Simpson and Tom Lawrence all played 90 minutes while Nick Powell got another 85 minutes under his belt.
In remarkable fashion, Steve Beaglehole’s men burst out of the blocks and went 2-0 up with just five minutes gone thanks to goals from Jak McCourt and Lawrence.
Further goals from Lawrence, Joe Dodoo, Kieran Kennedy and Tom Hopper sealed the three points while Thierry Ambrose and Sinan Bytyqi were on the score sheet for the opposition.
City stormed into the lead with just two minutes on the clock as McCourt carved through the opposition defence to put his side 1-0 up with a neat finish.
And the Foxes doubled their lead just three minutes later when Lawrence was fouled in the Citizen’s penalty box – the Welshman stepping up and slotting to the right of Ian Lawlor from the spot.
Man City could have pulled one back when Bytyqi curled a free kick into the top corner of Adam Smith’s goal with nine minutes gone, but the No.10 hammered the bar and Leicester cleared their lines well.
Powell then went close just moments later, but after meeting Anthony Knockaert’s pass well, the on-loan Red Devils attacker nodded over from eight yards.
An effort from Knockaert was then blocked but the former Guingamp winger collected the rebound and spread it to Lawrence, who produced a powerful low drive to put City 3-0 up with just 15 minutes gone.
Lawrence then set up the fourth, swinging in a superb cross for Dodoo, who met the ball well and side-footed in without hesitation on 18 minutes.
Knockaert, who impressed throughout the match, then carried the ball 40 yards before striking an effort just inches wide of the Sky Blues’ upright on the half-hour mark.
Lawrence could have made it five after cutting inside from the left wing, but drew a good save out of Lawlor, who denied the forward his hat-trick.
But Kennedy made amends, meeting Knockaert’s cross at the back post with 39 minutes on the clock – the defender claiming City’s fifth against his former side just before the break.
Substitute Ambrose then raced through right on half-time and pulled one back for his side after placing the ball under Smith.
McCourt then whipped a pin-point free kick into the box five minutes after the restart, which Hopper met well, guiding his header past Lawlor for make it 6-1.
Powell came close to adding another just after the hour mark, but after beating two Man City defenders, the No.10 couldn’t direct his effort on target.
Substitute Olivier Ntcham fired at goal from the edge of the City box with 20 minutes left, but his long-range effort was held well by shot-stopper Smith.
Jose Pozo could have reduced the deficit after delicately chipping the ball over Smith, but centre-half Alie Sesay recovered smartly to clear the ball off the line.
Substitute James Horsfield then made space in the area, but Smith again denied the visitor’s frontline, tipping over the close-range shot with quarter of an hour to play.
Lawrence had the opportunity to score his third when a neat combination between Danny Simpson and Hamza Choudhury saw the latter square it to the former Manchester United man, who fired straight at the ‘keeper from six yards.
Viera’s youngsters added a late second when Bytyqi swept an impressive free kick into the top corner of the net from 25 yards, but City’s hard work early on proved too much for the visitors to come back from.
The Development Squad travel to Manchester United next Monday for their next Premier League battle and will be buoyed by their ruthless performance against a high-flying Man City side.
LEICESTER CITY: Smith, Simpson, Barmby, McCourt (Scott 82), Sesay, Kennedy, Knockaert, Lawrence, Hopper (c) (Choudhury 82), Powell (Stankevicius 85), Dodoo
SUBS NOT USED: Miles, Maddison
GOALS: McCourt 2, Lawrence 5, 15, Dodoo 18, Kennedy 39, Hopper 50
MANCHESTER CITY: Lawlor, Maffeo, Facey, Bryan, Smith-Brown (Ambrose 32), Glendon (c), Barker (Ntcham 46), Fofana, Pozo (Horsfield 74), Bytyqi, Tasende
SUBS NOT USED: Gunn, Byrne
GOALS: Ambrose 45, Bytyqi 85
REFEREE: Ian Dudley