Manchester City vs Leicester City – English Premier League – Preview

Posted on February 6, 2016 by Sreya

Manchester City and Leicester City, the top contenders of the 2015/16 English Premier League season will face each other at the Etihad in an afternoon fixture on 6th February, Saturday. Manchester City, who are on the second position with forty seven points will challenge Leicester City’s first position in the league tables – Ranieri’s side are on fifty points but have an inferior goal difference to Pellegrini’s side.

Both sides have won three of their last six matches in the league – Leicester defeated Liverpool 2-0 in the midweek while Manchester City won 1-0 at the Stadium of Light against Sunderland.

Team News

Samir Nasri, Elaquim Mangala, Wilfried Bony and Kevin de Bruyne are still recuperating from their injuries while Vincent Kompany is yet to regain his match fitness. Jesus Navas and Fabian Delph are doubts as well for the game.

Jeffrey Schlupp and Matthew James are the long-term injury concerns for Leicester City while Daniel Amartey is yet to regain match fitness.

Manchester City Possible Starting Lineup: Joe Hart, Bacary Sagna, Martin Demichelis, Nicolas Otamendi, Aleksandr Kolarov, Yaya Toure, Fernandinho, Raheem Sterling, David Silva, Sergio Aguero, Kelechi Iheanacho.

Leicester City Possible Starting Lineup: Kasper Schmeichel, Danny Simpson, Wes Morgan, Robert Huth, Christian Fuchs, Riyad Mahrez, Daniel Drinkwater, N’Golo Kante, Mark Albrighton, Shinji Okazaki, Jamie Vardy.

Thoughts From Both Camps

“It’s not the biggest game of the season so far – we can win or lose this game and the Premier League will not end here. We have 39 more points to fight for. You cannot think you’re champion if you win and if you lose, there are lots more points. It’s a good game, a big game, but not decisive.”

– Manuel Pellegrini, Manchester City.

“It’s an open game as they want to win. We want to win too, so it’s open. Both teams want to win, so maybe it’ll be a draw!”

– Claudio Ranieri, Leicester City.

Contributor’s Pick

According to Head-2-Head statistics, the previous six meetings between these two clubs have resulted in four wins for Manchester City and two draws. Manchester City have won sixteen of their last nineteen home games in the league, scoring at least two goals in them.

Leicester City have kept a clean sheet in five of their last six Premier league matches while Manchester City have kept a clean sheet against Leicester City in the last three meetings in all competitions. Although the Foxes are undefeated in fourteen of their last fifteen Premier League games, Manchester City are undefeated in their last nine matches against Leicester in all competitions.

It will be a closely contested affair, but Manchester City are likely to win courtesy their home-field advantage, 2-1 being the most probable result.