Leicester City vs. Manchester City: Team News, Preview, Live-Stream, TV Info
Manchester City can move up to second in the Premier League with a win over reigning champions Leicester City on Saturday, but manager Pep Guardiola's men travel to the King Power Stadium lacking in form.
The Citizens sit fourth in the standings and are four points behind leaders Chelsea. The 16th-placed Leicester hardly look like the most threatening opponents after winning just once in their last seven games.
The Foxes suffered a damaging 2-1 defeat at relegation strugglers Sunderland in their most recent outing, and manager Claudio Ranieri has seen his side edge closer to a battle against the drop after going five matches without a win.
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Guardiola will be without stars Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho, who both picked up red cards in Saturday's 3-1 defeat at home to Chelsea.
We've provided all the essential viewing information for Saturday's late Premier League fixture, complete with a match preview and breakdown of the team news heading into a crunch clash.
Date: Saturday, December 10
Time: 5:30 p.m. GMT/12:30 p.m. ET
Venue: King Power Stadium, Leicester, England
Live Stream: BT Sport app (UK), NBC Sports Live Extra (U.S.)
TV Info: BT Sport 1 (UK), NBCSN (U.S.)
| Porto 5-0 Leicester City | Manchester City 1-1 Celtic |
| Sunderland 2-1 Leicester City | Manchester City 1-3 Chelsea |
| Leicester City 2-2 Middlesbrough | Burnley 1-2 Manchester City |
| Leicester City 2-1 Club Brugge | Borussia Monchengladbach 1-1 Manchester City |
| Watford 2-1 Leicester City | Crystal Palace 1-2 Manchester City |
Team News
Manchester City are close to boasting a fully fit squad, but any positive connotations were marred by the doomed outing against Chelsea, in which Aguero and Fernandinho were each shown straight red cards.
The London Evening Standard's Richard Parry confirmed Aguero will miss four matches for his lunging foul on David Luiz, while Fernandinho's altercation with Cesc Fabregas earned him a three-game suspension:
Centre-back Nicolas Otamendi will also miss the trip to Leicester after picking up his fifth yellow card of the campaign against Chelsea, meaning Aleksandar Kolarov could be called on once again to partner John Stones.
One piece of positive news for City is that Fabian Delph is available following injury, as is Raheem Sterling, according to ESPN FC's Ben Dinnery, although captain Vincent Kompany is a certainty to miss Saturday's clash:
Ranieri will be hoping first-choice goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel could be ready to return from a hand injury, although Metro's Jan Hagen noted the goalkeeper missed Wednesday's UEFA Champions League trip to Porto:
Another major worry for Leicester is the absence of Danny Drinkwater, who will serve the final fixture of his three-match ban against the Citizens, having elbowed Watford's Valon Behrami in a league fixture in November, per BBC Sport.
Predicted Leicester City XI (4-4-2): Ron-Robert Zieler; Danny Simpson, Christian Fuchs, Robert Huth, Wes Morgan; Daniel Amartey, Andy King, Riyad Mahrez, Marc Albrighton; Jamie Vardy, Shinji Okazaki.
Predicted Manchester City XI (4-2-3-1): Claudio Bravo; Bacary Sagna, John Stones, Aleksandar Kolarov, Gael Clichy; Ilkay Gundogan, Yaya Toure; David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, Nolito; Kelechi Iheanacho.
Preview
The focus will fall on Nigerian wonderkid Kelechi Iheanacho on Saturday as he attempts to fill the boots of the absent Aguero, with not much else apparent in terms of outright striking options for Guardiola.
And the 20-year-old, who has three goals and three assists in three league starts this season—he's made nine league appearances overall—said his boss is demanding more of him, per Stuart Brennan of the Manchester Evening News:
"Pep is a great manager, everyone knows that. In training he needs you at 100 per cent, to get focused and do the right things.
You need to follow the instructions and play as instructed with the intensity.
You need to do more. You need to help the team do more.
You need to press high, help your team-mates back and covering. And of course score goals.
We’ve lots of quality players so you need to keep up. Everyone is doing great and bringing their best.
You need to be on the same level, be at your best and help win the things that we need.
"
Despite Leicester's status as league champions, Iheanacho comes up against a vulnerable defence on Saturday, with the Foxes having conceded at least two goals in each of their last four league outings, taking just one point in that period.
Ranieri admitted results need to improve, as his side sits just two points off the relegation places 14 games into the season, although he's not concerned about losing his job, per the Irish Independent's Nick Mashiter:
"Never, because it's not my decision.
The owner is always behind us, he always tells us how he can help us and is always positive. Of course he's not happy - no-one at the club is.
When we win, we win together. When we lose, we lose together. My experience says it's important to stay calm and be positive, believe in your players and do the best for your team.
"
The Premier League titleholders collide with a City side that was tipped by many to strip the Foxes of their crown when Guardiola arrived at the club, and there promises to be sparks at the King Power Stadium.
City's 1-1 draw against Celtic in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday means they've failed to win their previous two fixtures, and a recovery is needed after the capitulation at home to Chelsea.
