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LONDON (AP) – Riyadh Mahrez paid tribute to the owner of Leicester killed in a helicopter crash after scoring Manchester City's goal in the 1-0 win over Tottenham in the English Premier League on Monday.
The winger celebrated his sixth minute of play at Wembley Stadium by pointing his arms at the sky in memory of Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, who died with four others when his helicopter crashed in front of Leicester Stadium after Saturday's match. . Mahrez played for Leicester from 2014 until he moved to City this summer. He was a star of his winning team in the 2016 Premier League sponsored by Vichai.
"The boss was very special to me," said Mahrez. "It was such a good person. I was very, very sad – that's why, when I scored, I raised my hand for him.
"It was heartbreaking and shocking to hear this news and, of course, with the other people who died with him. It's a difficult situation.
Mahrez said that it had been "difficult to sleep" since the tragedy that caused a wave of grief in English football and beyond, but added that he had always wanted to play in the match. on Monday.
"I know that he would have liked me to play," Mahrez said of Vichai. "He was very passionate about football."
After an eighth win in 10 games, City returned to the top of the standings, unlike Liverpool goals, and remained undefeated in his title defense.
The champions not only had to defeat a Tottenham team that had made their best start to the Premier League season, but they did it on a damaged and discolored pitch by an NFL Sunday match.
A day after a match between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Jacksonville Jaguars, Wembley Field had a faded NFL crest in the center circle, distance marks everywhere and an uneven surface. Both flanks were strongly discolored.
That was not good for the best-selling football league in the world, and it probably did not detract from the quality of the matches between two of the best clubs in the Premier League, both of whom play an exciting pass game.
The manager of the city, Pep Guardiola, said that the state of the field made the game "so complicated".
"It's a question for the Premier League and for Tottenham," Guardiola said to the question of whether the level of the playing area was "unacceptable".
"We have been invited to come here for the match. But I hope that they can solve this problem. "
Mahrez scored in the lone goal after a fine pass from Raheem Sterling, who broke through a defensive error by Kieran Trippier to grab the free ball, then bypass Tottenham's defender before defeating. To reach the sideline.
The center of Sterling was beaten up by Mahrez for the first time.
Goaltender Hugo Lloris equalized in the first period, while Harry Kane missed the best opportunity for Tottenham when he crashed the ball into a head-to-head encounter with City goalkeeper Ederson Moraes.
Erik Lamela let out a great opportunity to tie the game in the 80th minute, shooting over the crossbar with just Ederson to beat.
He was not helped by the ball bouncing off the winding surface before shooting.
City conceded just three league goals and has already played Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham at home, scoring seven points out of nine in those games.
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