On December 13, Kenneth was chosen by Pellegrini to start in the match against Leicester City. Many City players were fatigued after facing Roma three days earlier. Alongside Kenneth, Pellegrini also selected Pozo for this match.
Pellegrini set up a 4-2-3-1 formation, with the starting lineup as follows: Joe Hart; Bacary Sagna, Vincent Kompany, Gael Clichy; Kenneth, Yaya Toure; Nasri, Lampard, David Silva; Pozo.
In this match, Pellegrini boldly played Kenneth as a defensive midfielder alongside Yaya Toure. Kenneth himself was a bit puzzled by this choice, as both he and Yaya had offensive instincts and didn't ideally complement each other as partners in that role. However, since Pellegrini had assigned him as a defensive midfielder, Kenneth would do his best to fulfill his duties.
When people think of a defensive midfielder, they typically say that the role requires strong physicality, skill in stopping opponents, and a very aggressive playstyle. However, players like Pep Guardiola, Pirlo, Xabi Alonso, and Busquets have proven that a DM doesn't always need to be solely focused on defense.
Kenneth ran back and raised his hand toward Vincent Kompany. Under pressure from Vardy, Kompany passed the ball to Kenneth, who took a touch to the right before noticing Cambiasso closing in. He pulled the ball back and turned left, then passed it to Yaya Toure.
While Yaya Toure advanced, Kenneth held his position, maintaining the right distance between the attackers and defenders.
A few minutes later, Leicester City attempted a counterattack. Goalkeeper Ben Hamer threw the ball to Andy King, who then passed it to Wasilewski. The Polish player sent a through ball to Mahrez.
With Gael Clichy caught forward, Mahrez had plenty of space. Meanwhile, Kenneth had already started running as soon as Wasilewski made the pass. As Mahrez controlled the ball, Kenneth slid in, tackling him cleanly.
The ball rolled out of play. Clichy, arriving just in time, patted Kenneth on the shoulder.
"Good job."
Kenneth returned to his position as Leicester City prepared to restart the game with a throw-in. Leicester City began organizing an attack, but they failed to create a good opportunity.
Manchester City regained control of the game.
Twenty minutes into the match, and the score remained 0-0.
Kenneth Lee moved a few steps forward, raising his hand to Yaya Toure and shouting, "Here!"
Marked by a Leicester player, Yaya Toure passed the ball to Kenneth, who received it, adjusted his body, and sent it to the right.
Silva received the pass and skillfully avoided Leicester's left-back, cutting into the penalty box. He then played a short pass to Nasri, who held the ball briefly before returning it to Silva. Surrounded by defenders, Silva chipped it to the opposite side of the pitch.
Lampard controlled it with his chest and volleyed the ball. Ben Hamer saved it superbly, and Wes Morgan cleared it out of play.
Clichy threw it to the back line. Vincent Kompany passed it to Mangala, who carried it forward a bit and passed to Kenneth. Kenneth turned 180° and sent the ball into the space ahead of Sagna.
Sagna ran toward it and crossed it into Leicester's penalty area. David Silva received the ball, but his shot was blocked by Paul Konchesky.
David Silva moved to the right corner to take the corner kick. After the referee's whistle, he sent the ball toward the penalty area.
Andy King challenged Kompany in the air, winning the header and clearing the ball out of the box. However, it landed right at Kenneth's feet. He took a soft touch to steady the ball, then unleashed a powerful shot. The ball flew straight toward the top right corner of the goal. Ben Hamer leaped, stretching his arm in an attempt to stop it, but he couldn't reach.
Martin Tyler, commentating on the game, couldn't hold back his amazement. "Oh, what a goal! Kenneth Lee breaks the Foxes' defense with a stunner."
"It's his second Premier League goal, and he's scored in two consecutive games. What a lad," Gary Lineker added his praise for Kenneth.
Meanwhile, Kenneth ran toward the stands, standing firm with his arms spread wide.
The crowd erupted in cheers, their voices filling the stadium. "Kenneth! Kenneth! Remarkable strike!"
Manchester City players approached Kenneth with respect.
"You've done us proud, young man," Kompany remarked, giving him a firm pat on the shoulder.
"To score like that at 16… extraordinary, Kenneth," added Pozo, with admiration and a hint of envy in his eyes.
"And remember, that shot was perfectly placed," Silva commented, with a slight smile.
"Great strike, kid," Yaya Toure nodded approvingly.
"Thanks, guys. Come on, the score isn't safe; we need more goals," Kenneth replied.
The game resumed with Leicester City taking the kickoff.
To conserve energy, Manchester City set up a mid-block, allowing Leicester players to hold possession without applying heavy pressing.
Once more, Leicester's offensive efforts collapsed, and Manchester City quickly seized possession, dictating the rhythm and flow of the game.
With Leicester pushed deep into their own half, City began to apply unrelenting pressure. In the 40th minute, Nasri surged down the left side of the penalty area, weaving through defenders with sharp footwork and determination. Spotting an opening, he threaded a precise pass toward the center. Leicester's defenders lunged but missed, and the ball rolled cleanly to Lampard, waiting near the edge of the box.
Lampard took a brief, steadying touch, then, with the poise of a seasoned finisher, placed a low, composed shot past the keeper and into the net, widening City's lead.
Leicester City 0-2 Manchester City. The score held until halftime.
At the start of the second half, Pellegrini substituted Pozo with Navas. Then around the 60th minute, he replaced Lampard with Fernando.
Manchester City's formation shifted once more. In a surprising move, Pellegrini pushed Kenneth into the striker role as a false nine, supported by Nasri, David Silva, and Navas.
In the 84th minute, Joe Hart intercepted a fierce shot from Mahrez, quickly scanning the field before launching a powerful punt far into Leicester's half.
Kenneth immediately sprang into action, sprinting down the pitch with Wes Morgan at his side, pressing him hard in an effort to unbalance the young midfielder. Kenneth, however, held his ground, bracing against Morgan's strength. Reaching the ball just ahead of his defender, Kenneth executed a dazzling 360° roulette, spinning clear of Morgan with smooth precision.
As he broke free, Kenneth noticed Ben Hamer charging toward him, attempting to close down the angle. Without hesitation, Kenneth chipped the ball, lifting it gently over the onrushing keeper. The ball sailed gracefully, dropping just beneath the crossbar and into the back of the net.
That goal marked the final score of the game. Manchester City won 3-0 against the hosts, Leicester City.
With two goals, Kenneth earned a rating of 9.1 from the system. He received 3 attribute points as a reward, which he allocated to dribbling, acceleration, and agility.