Leicester City
Manchester City FC
Manchester City FC
Top of the table clash involving in-form Leicester and champions-elect Manchester City
Manchester City to win 2-1
Manchester City continue their push for an unprecedented quadruple this season, though couldn’t have wished for a trickier game to play after the International break.
Other than that defeat to Manchester United last month, City have gone unbeaten in 21 of their last 22 games, winning 19 of those in an incredible record which has seen them open up a huge gap at the top.
While they are unlikely to lose their 14 lead, they will be wary of a Leicester side who knocked Manchester United out of the FA Cup before the break. That being said, City will be confident of extending their lead here.
Leicester are in top form themselves, sitting in 3rd but just a point behind Manchester United, and will be eyeing up that 2nd place over the remaining nine matches of the season.
The Foxes are no pushover these days, and while many will expect City to win this one, it won’t be a comfortable victory.
Form Guide (all comps): LDWWW
Reasons to be cheerful:
Three wins on the bounce going into the break
Scored seven goals in their past two league games
Reasons to be fearful:
Key players remain injury doubts
Can they keep up their recent momentum?
Alongside Manchester City and Chelsea, Leicester have been one of the top sides in the league since the start of 2021, closing the gap on 2nd place to just a point as well as reaching the semi finals of the FA Cup.
Despite an important period coming up, the Foxes won’t play more than once a week for the next few weeks, due to already crashing out of the Europa League. This could give them the advantage over Manchester United in the league in the coming matches.
Here, Leicester will likely be without key players through injury, with Justin, Barnes, Maddison and Pereira unlikely to play a role here.
They won’t fear seeing less of the ball than their opponents, but will always pose a threat on the counter with their pace through players such as Vardy.
Star Man – Kelechi Iheanacho
Leicester’s recent hero has nine goals in as many games, as he scored twice to knock Man United out of the FA Cup. Can he haunt his former club?
Form Guide (all comps): LWWWW
Reasons to be cheerful:
Fully fit squad to choose from
Form was fantastic before the break
Reasons to be fearful:
Focus may be on midweek Champions League clash
Leicester thrashed them earlier in the season
Manchester City have only lost three times all season, but one of those was a match to forget against Leicester, ending 5-2 in the Foxes’ favour.
That was a different City side for sure, but the way in which Leicester carved them apart that day will surely be on their minds. Only defeats to Spurs and Manchester United have since followed, and Pep Guardiola’s men have swiftly returned to the top of English football.
On paper, they are certainly favourites for this one, however with such a commanding lead at the top of the table, their attentions may be elsewhere. With the prospect of a Champions League quarter final a few days later, can they ward off complacency here?
They do at least have a fully fit squad to choose from, something of a luxury at this stage of a season, including Sergio Aguero who this week announced he will be club the club at the end of the campaign.
Star Man – Ilkay Gundogan
Has 16 goals in all competitions and has scored in his last three games.
City are favourites
Should be a cracking game where both teams score
City will boss possession though Leicester won’t mind
These are the sorts of matches that you look forward to in football, especially after a two-week International break.
Manchester City and Leicester are two of the most exciting teams in the league when on song, and there’s no reason to think this shouldn’t be a top game of football.
Leicester won’t panic if they concede first, or don’t see too much of the ball. They have a well-versed gameplan under Brendan Rodgers that has brought results all season.
City are favourites, however.
Manchester City to win 2-1
