Manchester City vs Leicester City. Prediction and Preview. Probable Lineups, Team News, Stats and more

Manchester City takes on Leicester Сity in the 19th round of the English Premier League at Etihad Stadium this Sunday, 26 December. The match will kick off at 20:30 IST.

Lads of Pep Guardiola have 44 points and first place, while Brandon Rodgers’ side have 22 points and 9th place, but have played two fewer games. Will the Citizens gift their fans a confident win in this Boxing Day encounter?

Manchester City News & Current Form:

Manchester City will close out the calendar year on a major note. Citizens stand solely at the top of the table with 14 victories and two peaceful outcomes out of 18 in the Premier League, and so far the gap to Liverpool is three points.

The statistics are impressive, with the Spaniard’s bravado having won ten of their previous 11 games in the EPL. And there is already a feeling that it will be extremely difficult for the rivals to move Josep Guardiola’s team from first place. Now, Man City do not look tired at all. Moreover, they do not have the same personnel problems as their nearest pursuers.

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We cannot ignore the team’s best league performance in defence, where the Mancunians have allowed their opponents to hit the net just nine times.

The goalscoring record is also impressive: Sky Blues have won their previous two games by a combined score of 11-0. First, the reigning champions thrashed Leeds 7-0, before crashing Newcastle 4-0.

Delap, Mendy and Torres, who has a foot injury, will not be able to take to the pitch today. Walker remains in isolation due to COVID-19.

Leicester City News & Current Form:

Last season’s fifth team and winner of the FA Cup opened the season with a Super Cup victory, where they defeated today’s opponent. Unfortunately, the team lacked interest in playing in the league at the start, which affected the league position of the Leicestershire representatives.

Foxes are sitting in ninth place after 16 games played, in which they have collected 22 points. 

Leicester Сity have had to postpone two recent EPL games due to a coronavirus outbreak.

But now the situation is no longer as difficult. Earlier this week, Brendan Rodgers’ side faced Liverpool in the English League Cup. The Foxes led 3-1 halfway through the game but conceded two and lost in the penalty shoot-out.

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In the league, Leicester are not yet stable. Before an unscheduled break, Rodgers’ side drew with Southampton (2-2), lost to Aston Villa (1-2) and, in the last round, easily outplayed Newcastle (4-0) at home.

Leicester have only two wins in their eight away games in the Premier League. But it worth noticing their attacking power, which nets game by game – this resulted in total of 27 scored goals. However, they are still also conceding the same amount.

Evans, Justin, Fofana, Vardy, Pereira and Söyüncü, who has a thigh injury, will not play today.

Manchester City season form guide(all competitions): W-W-L-W-W-W

Leicester City season form guide: W-D-L-L-W-L

Manchester City vs Leicester City Head-To-Head Record:

Manchester City vs Leicester City Predicted XI:

Manchester City possible starting lineup (4-3-3): Ederson; Cancelo, Dias, Laporte, Zinchenko; Gundogan, Rodri, De Bruyne; Mahrez, Sterling, Jesus

Leicester City possible starting lineup (5-4-1): Schmeichel; Albrighton, Vestergaard, Ndidi, Thomas; Dewsbury-Hall, Tielemans, Soumare; Maddison, Daka, Lookman

Statistical preview of the match Manchester City vs Leicester City:

• Man City have kept a clean sheet in 8 of their last 10 home matches in EPL.
• There have been over 2.5 goals scored in 6 of Man City’s last 7 games.
• The Citizens have an immense record versus Leicester City and have won eight of their last ten matches against the Foxes.
• Leicester City cannot boast good results on Boxing Day and have won only one of their last 11 Premier League games played on 26 December.
• Leicester City have managed to secure only two of their eight away matches this season.

What has been said before the match:

Pep Guardiola:

“Leicester remain Leicester. They have a top-quality manager with exceptional players in all departments. Seasons have high and low periods. The club work well in many senses. Recruitment. But sometimes anything can happen, but they have the same value I give to them. They are exceptional from Kasper Schmeichel to Jamie Vardy.” 

Brendan Rodgers:

“We went there last season and got a fantastic win. You know the challenge you are up against: they will dominate the ball and are good in transition and have the confidence to play so that’s the challenge at the weekend. We need to play with the spirit we played with against Liverpool. They are a brilliant side with technical players, world-class players, not too many injuries. They can rotate and change and they are playing their game, a high-level positioning game. They are virtually press-resistant, they can play through pressure and when you sit deep they have players of real intelligence to find spaces. You have to play with courage, and when you have the ball you have to exploit the spaces.”

Manchester City vs Leicester City United Prediction: 

Leicester, given their defensive problems, are not likely to be a big problem for Man City. Right now, the Blues are unable to offer serious opposition to the leader and reigning English champions, who are in good form and ready to consolidate their position in the next three rounds before the short winter break. Furthermore, statistics and a thirst for revenge for the lost Super Cup remains one of the incentives for the Mancunians.

Pep Guardiola has a six-game home winning streak, which, in the presence of his fans and festive Boxing Day, the Citizens are unlikely to want to break. The Sky Blue are by far the more powerful side on all fronts and aspects, especially considering the current for. And the Foxes’ last game against Liverpool should not be disconcerting you.

Parimatch News staff prediction: 

We say: 1 option: Asian handicap (-2) on Man City
  2 option: Man City to win and the match total over 2.5