It’s the clash of two big title-contenders of the EPL this Saturday – Manchester City vs Leicester City, and it is definitely one game that nobody would want to miss.
Leicester City are currently three points ahead of Manchester City, however, due to goal difference, if the home side manage to claim all three points, they’ll see themselves go top of the league. Leicester maintained their three-point lead at the top of the pile after their comfortable 2-0 victory over Liverpool on Tuesday night, whilst Manchester City kept up their pursuit of their third league title after edging past Sunderland by one goal to nil.
TEAM NEWS:
MANCHESTER CITY
Jesus Navas is doubtful after a hamstring strain in Manchester City’s midweek victory at Sunderland. Fabian Delph (calf) and Eliaquim Mangala (hamstring) will have fitness tests later in the week to determine their availability for the top-of-the-table clash on Saturday. Samir Nasri, Vincent Kompany, Kevin de Bruyne and Wilfried Bony remain sidelined.
Manuel Pellegrini tried to accommodate Kelechi Iheanacho as the second striker in a 4-4-2 system on Tuesday but may change it after his midfield conceded too much possession to the home side.
LEICESTER CITY
Leicester City’s manager Claudio Ranieri has no concerns about the fitness of Riyad Mahrez after replacing the French playmaker late in the 2-0 victory over Liverpool on Tuesday. He’ll be ready to continue his prolific partnership with 18-goal Jamie Vardy for the Foxes’ biggest game of the season this weekend. Ranieri will be able to name an unchanged side with Jeffrey Schlupp and Matthew James the only squad members out of action.
INTERESTING FACTS:
- Manchester City have won 6 drawn 3 and lost 1 of their last 10 matches
- Leicester have won 4 drawn 4 and lost 2 of their last 10 matches
- Over the course of their previous 10 matches, Manchester City have scored an average of 2 goals and conceded an average of 0.8 goals per game
- Over the course of their previous 10 matches, Leicester have scored an average of 1.2 goals and conceded an average of 1.4 goals per game
- There have been over 2.5 goals scored in 7 of Manchester City’s previous 10 matches
- There have been over 2.5 goals scored in 3 of Leicester’s previous 10 matches
LEAGUE HEAD TO HEAD:
- 29/12/2015 Premier League 2015/2016 Leicester City 0 – 0 Manchester City
- 04/03/2015 Premier League 2014/2015 Manchester City 2 – 0 Leicester City
- 13/12/2014 Premier League 2014/2015 Leicester City 0 – 1 Manchester City
- 17/12/2013 League Cup 2013/2014 Leicester City 1 – 3 Manchester City
- 18/01/2011 FA Cup 2010/2011 Manchester City 4 – 2 Leicester City
- 09/01/2011 FA Cup 2010/2011 Leicester City 2 – 2 Manchester City
KEY PLAYERS:
MANCHESTER CITY – Sergio Aguero
Out of all the reasons why this match will be interesting, the biggest one is the fact that it will be a clash of Sergio Aguero against Jamie Vardy. The latter is currently running away with the Premier League golden boot whilst Aguero’s injuries have left him a few places below Vardy. Every time Sergio Aguero plays for Man City, he finds his name on the scoresheet. With six goals in his last four appearances, it looks like the Argentine is well and truly back to his best. However, an injury is always lurking around the corner for the mercurial striker, who has missed a large proportion of his side’s games this season.
This makes his goalscoring record even more extraordinary as he always seems to get straight back on the goal trail instantly after an injury. However, when you have world-class players playing behind you, like Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva, it makes the former Atletico Madrid man’s life a considerable amount easier.
LEICESTER CITY – Jamie Vardy
Jamie Vardy has undoubtedly been the Foxes’ best player so far this season and has possibly been the best player in the Premier League. After breaking Ruud van Nistelrooy’s incredible record, he went through a spell of six games without a Premier League goal, but in his last two, he’s managed three goals, one of which being a definite contender for goal of the season.
His goals against Stoke City and Liverpool certainly rejuvenated him after a barren patch in January where many people were saying that he’d lost the spark he had shown up until Christmas. He is no doubt in the form of his life and will be putting his focus into leading Leicester to their first ever Premier League title.
PREDICTION:
Predicting an outcome for this cracker of a game is really difficult, but the match is most likely to end up in a 2-2 draw, considering the form that the strikers are in.
