An injury and COVID-ravaged Leicester City make the trip north to face a Manchester City in imperious form. Which players are poised to make the XI and what will happen in this Boxing Day, Premier League showdown?
Looking for an eighth English Premier League (EPL) win in succession, top-of-the-table Manchester City will look to continue their hot streak, when they meet Leicester City on Sunday afternoon.
The champions are now favourites to defend their title, after going on an incredible run since early November, which has seen them establish a three-point lead at the top of the table.
Meanwhile, the Foxes arrive at the Etihad Stadium having dramatically lost out in the EFL Cup quarter-finals to Liverpool and occupying ninth place in the EPL table, on 22 points.
Considering the issues of their top-flight rivals at this time, the Citizens look to be relatively untroubled by illness or injury, with only two players likely to miss out.
Kyle Walker may be absent once again, having been sidelined for the victories over Leeds and Newcastle last week, while Ferran Torres looks set to be heading to Barcelona. The Spanish forward is also reportedly suffering from a foot issue.
Pep Guardiola’s hosts should be more or less unchanged, with Riyad Mahrez – who scored his 50th EPL goal last time out – linking up with Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus in the forward line.
Leicester haven’t been so lucky in avoiding COVID-19. Ayoze Perez, Ademola Lookman, Kelechi Iheanacho, and Jannik Vestergaard have all recently tested positive and are doubtful.
Both Jonny Evans and Wesley Fofana are unavailable through injury, so Brendan Rodgers could decide to give Wilfred Ndidi the nod in a depleted defence again.
We can see only one result here. Our prediction is 3-0 to Manchester City, with the net found twice in the first half.
Manchester City possible starting XI:
Ederson; Cancelo, Dias, Laporte, Zinchenko; Gündoğan, Rodri, De Bruyne; Mahrez, Sterling, Jesus
Leicester City possible starting XI:
Schmeichel; Albrighton, Vestergaard, Ndidi, Thomas; Dewsbury-Hall, Tielemans, Soumaré; Maddison, Daka, Lookman
