Leicester City vs. Manchester City: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview
Premier League outfits with entirely opposite prospects for the 2014-15 campaign will clash at King Power Stadium on Saturday, as Leicester City welcome Manchester City.
The Foxes currently rest at the bottom of the top flight and are searching for their first win in 10 outings, while Manuel Pellegrini's visitors have taken a recent leap in their title pursuit.
Nigel Pearson's hosts face a battle against an in-form side come Week 16, with all the vital viewing information for the encounter detailed ahead, along with a match preview.
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Date: Saturday, Dec. 13
Time: 3 p.m. GMT/10 a.m. ET
Live Stream: NBC Sports Live Extra (U.S.)
TV Info: beIN Sports 11 (U.S.)
Basement Foxes Seek to Upset the Odds
A record of just one defeat in their first five Premier League fixtures of the season created murmurs of hope for Leicester City at a time when leading scorer Leonardo Ulloa was on fire.
However, their two wins over Stoke City and Manchester United now seem like a lifetime ago and account for more than half of their total 10-point haul this season.
Meanwhile, over at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester City have looked upon Chelsea's recent setbacks with glee. After defeating Roma 2-0 in the Italian capital and advancing in the Champions League during midweek, Pellegrini's titans are on a high.
The lack of competition at King Power Stadium has even led to in-fighting between the fans and management, with BBC Sport reporting on Thursday that Pearson had been charged for language used toward supporters:
The Leicester helmsman has until next Tuesday, Dec. 16, to appeal the Football Association's decision, but it's another telling factor as they look to boost morale and change their fortunes.
For the visit of City, the Foxes will be missing Kasper Schmeichel, whom The Guardian confirmed would be absent for up to six weeks with a broken metatarsal. Saturday's hosts can enter the fray with a nothing-to-lose disposition, but there's only so far luck will go.
Key Battle
Leonardo Ulloa vs. Martin Demichelis
With six goals to his name, Ulloa accounts for almost half of the Foxes' 15 goals so far this term. Without him finding the net, Leicester have struggled in the search for promise up front.
The Argentinian comes up against a renewed figure in Martin Demichelis on Saturday, who was heroic in the clean-sheet beating of Roma on Wednesday. The Times' Oliver Kay and WhoScored.com agreed the centre-back had a stellar outing at a time when it was needed:
Admittedly, a trip to the east midlands this weekend doesn't quite have the same ring of importance as that of the Stadio Olimpico. But Demichelis will nevertheless look to be City's beacon at the back once more in the absence of injured captain Vincent Kompany.
Pearson may well argue his team is not so reliant on one player, but the tactic of taking Ulloa out of the game is an easy one. Nullify that threat, and the visitors will have an easier time in claiming the points.
The two compatriots will put all South American allegiances to the side in this top-versus-bottom clash, where Ulloa has a massive task in attempting to evade his countryman's presence.
