Jack Grealish ensured Manchester City ended their four-game winless run because the Premier League champions survived a scare from Luton of their 2-1 victory on Sunday. With star striker Erling Haaland absent as a consequence of damage, Pep Guardiola’s facet trailed to Elijah Adebayo’s objective late within the first half at Kenilworth Road. But, after squandering a number of possibilities, City lastly clicked into gear with two targets in three minutes after the break.

Bernardo Silva equalised and Grealish bagged the winner to present City a much-needed first victory in 5 league matches.

After their torpid 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa on Wednesday, which adopted attracts with Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham, City have been at risk of falling out of the title race.

Liverpool’s win at Crystal Palace on Saturday had moved the leaders seven factors away from City.

But fourth-placed City responded with a gritty show to shut the hole on Liverpool to 4 factors. “Great performance after what happened in the last results. We conceded the goal in the last minute of the first half. It was a really good test and the players reacted as they had to,” Guardiola mentioned.

“That is the challenge. They are still there in the way that they run, they fight and here and behave how we behave. I am really proud.”

City nonetheless have work to do to regain management of their bid for an unprecedented fourth successive top-flight title and Haaland’s health scare couldn’t have come at a worse time. Haaland, who had began all of City’s league matches this season, was sidelined with a foot damage that would affect his availability for the treble winners’ hectic Christmas schedule.

City boss Pep Guardiola mentioned Haaland, who has 19 targets this season, observed the damage after Wednesday’s defeat at Aston Villa.

Guardiola will likely be sweating on his health with City travelling to the FIFA Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia earlier than returning for the busy festive programme.

“It’s his foot, we’ll see. Day by day, week by week. Hopefully we can recover him for the Club World Cup,” he mentioned. Despite their lowly place, Luton have been a troublesome proposition at residence on their return to the top-flight after a 31-year absence.

On their first go to since 1998, City have been the most recent star-studded facet to seek out an inhospitable welcome amid the terraced homes that encompass tiny Kenilworth Road.

City escape

Early on, Phil Foden accelerated onto Silva’s cross for a stinging drive that Thomas Kaminski saved at full stretch earlier than Silva sliced the rebound wastefully broad.

City stored coming and Alvarez poked narrowly broad from Grealish’s cross, whereas Foden was denied by Kaminski’s courageous save at his ft. By the time Mateo Kovacic‘s blast flashed over, Guardiola was shifting uneasily on the touchline.

The Spaniard’s fears have been realised with seconds left within the first half when Luton grabbed the lead.

Josko Gvardiol allowed Andros Townsend an excessive amount of time on the best flank and the Luton winger’s cross reached the far publish, the place Adebayo climbed above Ruben Dias and Kyle Walker to move residence.

Guardiola left the pitch in animated dialogue with the officers over the objective being scored past the 2 minutes allotted stoppage time.

When Rodri side-footed woefully broad from Walker’s cross within the second half, the hoots of derision from the Luton followers exacerbated City’s distress. But Dias thumped a shot towards the bar to foreshadow City’s impending revival and so they drew degree within the 62nd minute.

Rodri was the catalyst with a rampaging run into the Luton space and when the ball broke for Silva, he curled a tremendous end into the far nook.

Three minutes later, City’s comeback was full as appeals for handball towards Julian Alvarez have been ignored earlier than the Argentine’s low cross reached Grealish for a scientific close-range end. Guardiola celebrated by sarcastically blowing kisses in direction of the Luton teaching workers, whereas inwardly respiration a sigh of reduction at City’s escape.