Pep Guardiola's relief after Man City victory over Leicester

This victory provided a moment of relief for Guardiola and his squad, who have been enduring a challenging period in the Premier League.

Guardiola, reflecting on the win, expressed his primary emotion was relief rather than joy. "Just relief, that is the word to express how all of us feel," he said. 

"We have done incredible things and now we struggle to win games so now it's just relief."

This victory was City's first in five league games, propelling them to a provisional fifth place but still trailing leaders Liverpool by 14 points, with Liverpool also having one game in hand after overcoming West Ham 5-0 in the later game on Sunday.

The breakthrough for City came through Brazilian winger Savinho, who scored his inaugural goal for the club in the first half.

Despite Leicester creating several scoring opportunities, City managed to hold firm before Erling Haaland added a second goal in the 74th minute, providing some much-needed breathing space.

Haaland's goal was particularly significant as it came during a time when his performances had been under scrutiny.

Guardiola defended his star striker, noting, "Sometimes Erling has been judged badly but it's part of football. He's tired, he's played a lot of minutes. He's become a father for the first time in the last few days, a lot of emotions and an exciting few days for him."

Haaland himself highlighted the importance of the upcoming break before their next game against West Ham United. "It has been a difficult time. Things happen and we have to keep going, we have to stay positive and focus on the right things," he said, adding, "Now it's New Year so don't think too much about football.

"I think it's the longest time in a pretty long period and now we can rest a little bit and go again."

This victory, while not showcasing the team's best form, is a step towards regaining confidence and form as Manchester City look to recover their standing in the league.

With the new year approaching, the focus will be on using this break to rejuvenate and come back stronger in the second half of the season.

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