Tevez scored Manchester City's opener but missed a second-half penalty

By Phil Dawkes

Sven-Goran Eriksson's Eastlands return ended in disappointment as Manchester City edged past his Leicester side in an FA Cup third-round replay.

Carlos Tevez's rifled effort put the home side ahead only for Paul Gallagher to level from the penalty spot.

Two goals in 90 seconds - from Patrick Vieira and Adam Johnson - swung the game in the home side's favour, before Chris Weale saved a Tevez penalty.

Lloyd Dyer gave Leicester late hope but Aleksandar Kolarov sealed the home win.

Manchester City next face a tricky fourth-round away tie at League One Notts County, themselves a former employer of Eriksson.

This was not the result the well-travelled Swede would have been looking for on his first return to Eastlands after his sacking from Manchester City in 2009, but he can again be proud of his Leicester side for their performance, which was full of commitment and endeavour.

The Foxes played with plenty of initiative in the original tie at the Walkers Stadium and they started this tie in impressively positive fashion, producing the game's first two chances: Andy King's goal-bound half-volley from Steve Howard's header down was tipped over by Joe Hart and Sol Bamba headed the resultant corner wide.

Out of respect for Leicester and the tie, Manchester City boss and former Leicester player Roberto Mancini opted to make only four changes to his side, each of which saw an international player come into the team that, at a cost of £162m, is the most expensive to play in the FA Cup.

Patrick Vieira and James Milner came into midfield, Joleon Lescott started in defence, while David Silva replaced striker Edin Dzeko.

The home side were not at their best, but they possessed the extra quality to craft and then capitalise on a greater number of chances.

It was one of Mancini's retained stars from the weekend - winger Johnson - who should have given the home side the lead early on, when Tevez's pass sent him clear on goal, but he dwelt on the ball too long and his eventual scuffed effort was saved by Weale.

With 15 minutes gone, Manchester City were ahead and it was the talismanic Tevez who scored it.

The Argentine picked up the ball 30 yards from goal and crashed his way past two defenders before unleashing a fierce effort from an angle inside the box that found the top of the Leicester net.

However, just as they did 10 days ago, Leicester fought back and were level within five minutes.

606: DEBATE Couldn't ask anymore of the players tonight Blueheaven yakety yak

At the Walkers Stadium, Joe Hart was at fault to gift the home side their equaliser to set up this tie, but here it was a misjudgement from Vieira, who tripped Dyer as he broke into the box from an angle for a penalty that Gallagher powerfully dispatched into the centre of the goal.

The shell-shocked home side almost fell behind immediately when Dyer again charged forward and beat three men, but his shot from 20 yards was deflected wide.

Mancini's men regrouped though and re-asserted some control on the match, with Tevez continuing to pull the strings for them in and around the penalty area.

The striker found Johnson on the left and his pull-back was struck goal-wards by Yaya Toure to draw a smart save low down from Weale.

The home side's growing territorial dominance finally told 10 minutes before half time with a two-goal salvo in the space of less than 90 seconds to swing the tie firmly in their favour.

Tevez again instigated it with a superb flighted ball to find Pablo Zabaleta in space deep on the right and after Silva saw his initial close-range shot saved, the ball fell to Vieira, who side-footed into the empty net.

Then Silva's through-ball gave Johnson a clear run on goal and, unlike his effort at the start of the half, he finished with aplomb past Weale.

Leicester's challenge in the tie could have been ended permanently just before the hour when Tevez found himself clear but was tripped in the box by Jack Hobbs for a penalty.

However, Tevez proved he is indeed fallible with a poorly executed spot-kick that Weale deflected over the goal with his legs.

The visitors had their own call for their second penalty of the match when Dyer again fell following a tackle from Vieira, but referee Mark Halsey waved away the protests, leaving the two players to square up and eventually earn themselves both a booking.

As the game entered the final 10 minutes, it appeared as though City would see it through to full-time comfortably, but Dyer made it a far more engrossing finale when he collected a pass from Yuki Abe, held off a challenge and finished past Hart.

With Leicester pushing for an equaliser Manchester City hit them with a sucker punch; breaking the length of the field to supply full-back Kolarov, who curled in superbly to finally seal the tie.

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