Jack Grealish was on target as Leicester’s slide towards relegation continued with 2-0 defeat at Manchester City on Wednesday.

The England international scored his first Premier League goal in 16 months and Omar Marmoush also struck as the champions outplayed the Foxes at the Etihad Stadium.

It was a seventh successive loss without even scoring a goal for Ruud Van Nistelrooy’s side and the result seemed inevitable from the moment Grealish opened the scoring with just two minutes gone.

Marmoush doubled the lead before the half-hour and City then eased through the remainder of the game to move back into the fourth Champions League qualification spot.

It was also a night City fans made a clear point as hundreds responded to a call to boycott the opening nine minutes in a protest over ticketing matters.

Those yet to take up their seats missed Grealish get their side off to a flying start, the winger tucking in from a Savinho cutback after Jeremy Doku had seized possession.

One person who was sat in the stand was Pep Guardiola as the City manager served a touchline ban.

The Spaniard has appeared to lack faith in Grealish this term, but his decision to hand him a first league start since last December was immediately vindicated.

Any prospect Leicester might offer a challenge immediately disappeared.

The hosts were hardly at their scintillating best but they did not need to be, nor did they miss the injured Erling Haaland as they threatened numerous times.

The second goal came after 29 minutes as Foxes goalkeeper Mads Hermansen dropped a routine catch from a lofted Ruben Dias pass. The ball rolled straight to Marmoush and he rattled in his shot off the crossbar.

City could easily have had more before the break as Savinho fired over and forced a good save from Hermansen, while Marmoush had another effort blocked.

Jamie Vardy was virtually a spectator and the Leicester skipper was replaced at half-time.

Grealish had a penalty appeal turned down in the opening minutes of the second half as Leicester continued to toil. Savinho was also given nothing after feeling he was impeded by Luke Thomas.

The visitors remained on the back foot throughout but City, knowing the job was effectively done, showed little urgency to create chances.

One of the biggest cheers of the night came with the arrival of Oscar Bobb off the bench for his first appearance since breaking his leg in August.

A night which started with City fans arriving late ended with many Leicester fans leaving early as yet another defeat, one that left them 12 points off safety, was confirmed.