Leicester v Man City preview: Citizens target top spot with win

After recording just one win across the opening ten Premier League rounds, Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers appeared to be teetering on the precipice of losing his job.

But winning back-to-back games over Leeds and Wolves by a combined 6-0 scoreline appears to have given Rodgers more time, with the Leicester manager hailing his side as being “collectively very, very good” following their emphatic win in the Black Country last time out.

It will undoubtedly take a huge collective push to topple the irresistible Manchester City, especially after Leicester conceded nine times across the last three Premier League head-to-head encounters.

Playing at home may provide some comfort for the Foxes though, as Rodgers has overseen three straight Premier League clean sheets at the King Power Stadium for the first time since a four-game run that ended in July 2020.

Yet a clean sheet against Man City seems something of a pipe dream, especially as the defending champions have combined a rip-roaring attack with a rock-solid defence, although boasting the league’s best attack (G36) and the joint-second best defensive record (11 conceded) still isn’t enough to top the table.

Pep Guardiola has his former assistant, and now Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta to thank for that, but Pep’s troops have closed the gap to two points following their 3-1 win over Brighton in the last round.

Perhaps buoying Leicester is the fact that Man City were held to a goalless draw in Dortmund during midweek, although the record-breaking Erling Haaland (22) only played 45 minutes in that match and is a doubt for this game. Man City will likely need some vitality in attack as they’ve failed to win four of their last six Premier League away games (D3, L1) and are actually enduring a three-game competitive away goal drought, their longest since Pep Guardiola’s first season in charge (2016/17).

Players to watch:

Leicester’s Jamie Vardy (35) has only scored more goals against Liverpool and Arsenal than his nine strikes in 18 meetings with City. With Haaland doubtful, Phil Foden (22) may take on the scoring burden having scored all seven of his goals this season in Manchester City wins with 3+ goal margins.

Hot stat:

Leicester have failed to win five of their eight Premier League games when scoring first this season (W3, D1, L4).