Leicester vs Man City Preview: Team News & Prediction
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Leicester City have sunk into the bottom three and the relegation places ahead of this weekend as they take on a Manchester City side in the midst of an unprecedented poor run of form.
Kick-off date/time: Sunday 29th December, 2024: UK – 2:30pm / US ET – 9:30am / US PT – 6:30am
How to watch on TV: UK – Sky Sports / US – Not televised
How to watch online: UK – Sky Go / US – Peacock
Leicester Preview: Fallen Foxes
Ruud van Nistelrooy’s first two games in charge saw Leicester City pick up four points with a 2-1 win over West Ham United at the King Power Stadium before fighting back from 2-0 down to earn a point against Brighton and Hove Albion a few days later.
However, despite taking an early lead via Jordan Ayew at Anfield on Boxing Day, Leicester have now suffered three successive defeats and conceded ten goals in the process with a 4-0 loss at Newcastle United before a 3-0 defeat to Wolves and then a 3-1 loss against Liverpool.
Man City Preview: One win in 13
Manchester City looked like they could well win a fifth Premier League title in a row just a couple of months ago but now, with a verdict about their 115 financial charges pending, it would take some turnaround from Pep Guardiola’s side to even get into the top four or five.
The Cityzens have managed just one victory in their last 13 matches across all competitions. They come into this one on the back of a 1-1 draw with Everton at the Etihad Stadium on Boxing Day in a game in which Erling Haaland had a second-half penalty saved by Jordan Pickford.
Leicester Team News: Probable return of Vardy
Club captain Jamie Vardy missed the trip to Anfield on Boxing Day due to a ‘light injury’ but is hopeful on being fit for the visit of City. Belgian centre-back Wout Faes is more of a doubt, though, with Mads Hermansen also set to be unavailable, too.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Stolarczyk; Justin, Coady, Vestergaard, Kristiansen; Winks, Soumare; Buonanotte, El Khannouss, Mavididi; Vardy
Unavailable: Hermansen (Injured), Faes (Injured), Pereira (Injured), Ndidi (Injured), Fatawu (Injured), Ayew (Suspended)
Questionable: McAteer (Injured), Vardy (Injured)
Man City Team News: KDB could start
Guardiola said he ‘didn’t know’ whether England internationals Kyle Walker and Jack Grealish would be fit and available for the trip down to Leicester this weekend. Guardiola suggested he should have brought Kevin De Bruyne on earlier the other day so he may well start.
Predicted XI (4-1-4-1): Ortega; Lewis, Akanji, Ake, Gvardiol; Kovacic; Doku, Silva, De Bruyne, Foden; Haaland
Unavailable: Dias (Injured), Rodri (Injured), Bobb (Injured)
Questionable: Ederson (Injured), Stones (Injured), Walker (Illness), Nunes (Injured), Grealish (Injured)
Leicester vs Man City Prediction
Leicester City have a poor squad and they are also now without Boxing Day goal scorer Jordan Ayew due to suspension so are even weaker. They were always expected to struggle and were perhaps overperforming under Steve Cooper. Manchester City, though, have badly struggled over the last couple of months as they collapse down the table. However, even with that poor form, City remain the overwhelming favourites against a poor side.
Leicester vs Man City Tip: Man City to win & under 3.5 goals
