Leicester v Man City – Preview, Predictions and Best Bets

Leicester host Man City at the King Power Stadium in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon. These sides met in this season’s curtain-raiser as Brendan Rodgers’ side beat Man City 1-0 in the Community Shield. It’s less than a year since the Foxes thrashed Pep Guardiola’s side 5-2 with Jamie Vardy netting a hattrick.

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Leicester Form

The Foxes have had a good start to this season. An 89th-minute winner saw them lift the Community Shield against Man City before beating Wolves 1-0 in the opening league game. A 4-1 thrashing at West Ham followed as Ayoze Perez was red-carded at 1-0 down. Leicester bounced back to win 2-1 at Norwich in their last match.

Leicester has not been in the best home form, losing five of their final nine matches at the King Power Stadium last season. In four of those matches, they conceded three or more goals.

Leiester Team News

Brendan Rodgers is still without their forward Ayoze Perez due to suspension. In defence, Leicester has something of an injury crisis with Wesley Fofana and James Justin out long-term. Ryan Bertrand is back in training after COVID-19 but it’s unlikely that Jonny Evans will return in time for this match. Ricardo Pereira and Jannik Vestergaard are doubtful but could return.

Caglar Soyuncu and Daniel Amartey will start but if Pereira doesn’t recover at right-back and Amartey is required centrally then at least Timothy Castagne is fit again to play at fullback. Marc Albrighton is expected to keep his place on the right of midfield for his defensive nous.

Leicester Motivation

Rodgers has been much more pragmatic of late and with the side not scoring freely and looking thin in defence, he is set to again playing conservatively.

Leicester would probably take a draw from this match but will play for a clean sheet and to nick a 1-0 win as they did in the FA Cup final against Chelsea and the Community Shield against City. If they concede and have to open up, City could exploit their injury-hit backline.

Man City Form

City started this season with a 1-0 Community Shield loss to Leicester and a 1-0 loss to Tottenham to make it three matches without scoring, including the UEFA Champions League final last term. Pep Guardiola’s side bounced back by thrashing Norwich and Arsenal both 5-0 at home albeit the latter played with ten men for 55 minutes.

Guardiola’s side saw a 12 match winning run on their travels last season ended by a defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion in their final away game. City led 2-0 but played 80 minutes with ten men.

Man City Team News

Phil Foden and Kevin de Bruyne should be fit to return to the midfield ranks for this match after an injury-disrupted start to the campaign. Aymeric Laporte is doubtful in defence with a knock he picked up on Spain duty.

The form of Gabriel Jesus on the right-wing and Ferran Torres as the false nine could mean continued spells on the substitutes bench for Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling. Benjamin Mendy remains suspended after his arrest.

Leicester Motivation

City will continue to use wide overloads as those have worked a treat this season. Jesus will play wide with Jack Grealish coming inside on the opposite flank.

Knowing the threat of Vardy and Harvey Barnes on the counter-attack, expect Kyle Walker to play a more circumspect role at right-back with Joao Cancelo inverting from left fullback. City will play for all three points despite this being an away match at a tough opponent.

Key Stats

Leicester have lost 5 of their last 10 home PL matches

Leicester have seen over 2.5 goals in 4 of their last 5 home PL matches

Man City have won the last 2 away PL matches at Leicester

Jamie Vardy has scored 8 goals in 10 PL matches against City

Man City’s Ferran Torres has scored 5 goals in his last 6 PL matches

Man City have conceded in 4 of their last 5 away PL matches

None of the last 11 PL meetings between sides has ended in a draw

Prediction

This look is set to be a good match. Leicester has enough to score a goal but City’s firepower is expected to be too much for a defense missing several players through injury. The best bet is a City win with both teams netting.

Best Bet: Man City win and BTTS at 3.35

Alternative Bet: Over 3.5 goals at 1.90

Alternative Bet: Vardy anytime goalscorer at 3.50 or Torres anytime goalscorer at 2.70

Correct score tip: Leicester 1-3 Man City at 10.00