Wanchope magic stuns Foxes

Wanchope celebrates scoring his audacious winner

Leicester 1-2 Man City

Manchester City grabbed a Premiership lifeline with a hard-fought win against out-of-form Leicester at Filbert Street.

City - who remain stuck in the bottom three despite the result - have given themselves a glimmer of hope, with fellow strugglers Coventry losing to league champions Manchester United.

And Joe Royle has transfer-listed Paulo Wanchope to thank after his moment of second-half magic handed City victory.

Nothing surprises me in football, and we have to go for it because I will never give up while we have a chance of survival

  Manchester City manager Joe Royle

His cheeky back-heel put City back in the lead after Ade Akinbiyi's first-half equaliser looked to have earned the Foxes at least a share of the spoils.

The defeat virtually ends Leicester's chances of qualifying for the Uefa Cup by finishing in sixth place and extends their poor Premiership run to five games without a win.

City started the more brightly and Mark Kennedy tried his luck for the visitors with a 30-yard shot after being released by Jeff Whitley.

But his effort did not trouble Leicester keeper Tim Flowers - making his first start since New Year's Day after recovering from a thigh injury.

  Key moments

16 mins: Ball bounces off Shaun Goater past Tim Flowers

41 mins: Ade Akinbiyi bundles in Steve Guppy's cross

66 mins: Gerry Taggart heads against own crossbar

68 mins: Paulo Wanchope back-heels winner

City continued to press and were rewarded in the 16th minute with Kennedy again at the heart of the action.

The Republic of Ireland midfielder swung in an excellent cross from the left which Flowers failed to deal with.

He flapped at Wanchope's header and the ball rebounded off Shaun Goater and into the net.

It was a lucky break for City but one they deserved on the balance of play in the first 20 minutes.

Leicester, however, were keen to put their own barren run behind and tried to up the pace.

Peter Taylor looked to midfield engine Robbie Savage - back in the side only 17 days after undergoing surgery on his knee - to orchestrate play from the middle of the park.

But it was fellow midfielder Steve Guppy who made the home side's equaliser in the 41st minute.

He got away down the left and delivered the ball into the area.

Akinbiyi got in ahead of Steve Howey and managed to bundle the ball into the net.

Akinbiyi bundles in Leicester's equaliser

City boss Royle introduced Andrei Kanchelskis after the interval to give his team more attacking options in their quest for all three points.

But Leicester retained the momentum they had gathered in the second period of the first-half, and Gerry Taggart saw his header tipped over the bar by Carlo Nash, in for the dropped Nicky Weaver.

This is not the happiest job at the moment, but I've got to pick the players up for the game against Derby

  Leicester City manager Peter Taylor

Taggart was then lucky not to hand the initiative back to City when his header crashed against his own crossbar.

The Blues sensed that they could get back into the game and it was an audacious piece of skill by Wanchope in the 66th minute that gave City three valuable points.

Danny Granville played the ball into the area and the Costa Rican striker, with his back to the goal, wrongfooted Flowers with a delightful back-heel.

Some fine goalkeeping by Nash kept City's lead intact as the Foxes went in search of another equaliser.

But Royle's men held on valiantly for all three points and will take heart from their performance ahead of the big derby match against Sir Alex Ferguson's side at Old Trafford next week.

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Leicester: Flowers, Rowett, Elliott, Taggart, Impey, Savage, Lewis, Marshall, Guppy, Gunnlaugsson, Akinbiyi. Subs: Royce, Davidson, Benjamin, Oakes, Eadie.

Man City: Nash, Charvet, Dunne, Howey, Granville, Whitley, Haaland, Wiekens, Kennedy, Wanchope, Goater. Subs: Weaver, Kanchelskis, Huckerby, Grant, Prior.

Referee: B Knight (Orpington)