Leicester vs. Manchester Utd: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Live Stream, TV Info

Leicester City vs. Manchester United in late November is not a game many would have had slated as a top-of-the-table clash when the fixtures were announced. 

However, this unlikely turn of events has come to pass, and the Red Devils travel to the King Power Stadium knowing an away win would earn them top spot. 

For Leicester, United represent an opportunity to prove that their current position is not a quirk of the fixture list but representative of the progress they have made at the club.

Jamie Vardy, of course, has the opportunity to break a record previously held by United's Ruud van Nistelrooy. If he scores on Saturday, it will be the 11th consecutive Premier League game in which he has found the net.

Scott Heppell/Associated Press

Van Nistelrooy remains a popular figure with United fans, and they will be hoping their current back four can preserve the Dutchman's place as joint record-holder. They will also be hoping their current forwards put on a better show than has mostly been the case of late. Louis van Gaal's side have drawn 0-0 in four of their past seven fixtures.

Claudio Ranieri is realistic about Leicester's Premier League prospects. In an interview with the Guardian's Amy Lawrence, he insisted his side's goal was still to achieve 40 points:

"

Forty points. I can’t change our project at the moment. Our goal right now is to maintain the Premier League. Be solid with two feet firmly on the floor. Forty points. When? I don’t know. From now until beginning of January we will play against some very big teams and we will see what happens.

Our fans can dream. That’s OK. Football is about dreams, about feeling a special sensation, giving a surprise and inspiring joy. I know when Leicester win our fans go to their jobs with smiles. But those who work in football must work. The others can dream.

 

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Date: Saturday, November 21, 2015

Time: 17:30 p.m. GMT/12:30 p.m. ET

Venue: King Power Stadium, Leicester, England

TV Info: Sky Sports 1 (U.K. only)/NBC and NBC Universo (U.S. only)

Live Stream: Sky Go (U.K. only)/NBC Sports Live Extra (U.S. Only)

Form Lines

Leicester: DWDWWW

Manchester United: DDWWWD

Team News

ITV Sport report that Matty James is the only absentee for Leicester, as the "minor hip problem" Vardy has been carrying will not rule him out. 

Of United, ITV report: 

"

Defender Phil Jones and midfielder Ander Herrera are out of Manchester United's match at Leicester because of their respective ankle and hamstring injuries.

Midfielder Michael Carrick is unlikely to feature as he is still recovering from the ankle injury he suffered playing for England against Spain two weeks ago.

Long-term absentees Luke Shaw (leg) and Antonio Valencia (foot) remain sidelined.

"

Predicted Lineups

Leicester have a few options that could see the side differ from the above. Jeffrey Schlupp could feature at full-back or at left midfield. If the latter occurs, Marc Albrighton will play on the right with Riyad Mahrez more central in what would look more like a 4-2-3-1 than the 4-4-2 above. 

Up front, Vardy will, of course, start. Ranieri has a big decision to make in terms of who partners him. Leonardo Ulloa scored against Newcastle on Leicester's last outing, but Shinji Okazaki has often kept him out of the side. 

Van Gaal's decision to leave Juan Mata on the bench in favour of a front four of Jesse Lingard, Memphis Depay, Wayne Rooney and Anthony Martial proved fruitless against PSV Eindhoven in midweek. The Dutchman has some big decisions to make in terms of the makeup of his attack but has consistently refused to make the biggest decision of them all and bench his captain. 

Assuming Rooney's form remains irrelevant to his selection, and assuming Mata makes his way back into the side, Lingard, Memphis and Martial will battle it out for the remaining two places. Memphis was ineffective from wide left against PSV, but both Martial and Lingard missed good chances, so any could miss out. 

Players to Watch 

Vardy is, of course, the man on whom all eyes will fall. He has an opportunity to break a significant and long-standing record by scoring here. Given his recent form, he is clearly in with a very decent shout at doing so. 

Vardy has been so successful both because of a confidence-fired hot streak in terms of his finishing and because his style is such a handful for defenders. He is an off-the-shoulder striker, always looking to break behind defensive lines and forcing centre-halves to consider his presence wherever the ball is on the pitch.

United's man to watch is likely to be the man tasked with stopping him—Chris Smalling. Smalling has been in superb form this season, and with United's attack misfiring so often, it has been vital for their defence to be resilient. Smalling has managed this superbly. Third in line for the captaincy behind Michael Carrick and Rooney, Smalling has become a leader in United's back four. 

He will have to be at his best to stop Vardy.

Key Battle

Smalling vs. Vardy is the key battle in this game. Vardy may look to target Daley Blind, ostensibly the less defensively sound of United's centre-backs. However, Smalling will look to keep Vardy as quiet as he can. 

Elsewhere, United's attack will once again be under scrutiny. Can they find a way through Leicester's defence and find a way to turn Van Gaal's approach into goals? If they can, the top of the league awaits them, but it remains a big if.

Odds

Leicester City: 5/2

Draw: 56/25

Manchester United: 7/5

Odds for the game correct at the time of writing, per Odds Shark.