Manchester City welcome Leicester City to the Etihad Stadium in this season’s final dose of Monday Night Football.
After Liverpool’s win over Newcastle on Saturday, the Citizens know that a win here will put the title in their own hands next Sunday, whilst Leicester will be hoping to finish a tough season on a high.
Team
Manchester City could welcome Fernandinho back after he sat out last weekend’s away win at Burnley with a knee injury.
Kevin De Bruyne (muscle) and Claudio Bravo (Achilles) remain sidelined with questions marks over whether De Bruyne could return before end of season.
Leicester have no injury concerns with Daniel Amartey (ankle) and Matty James (fitness) still long-term absentees.
Form
Manchester City enter this on a 12 league match winning streak and are unbeaten in their last eight home league games, of which they have conceded just once in their last five at the Etihad.
Leicester are on a run of one defeat from last seven with 16 points from a possible 25, and have lost just one away game under Brendan Rodgers despite being on a seven away match run without a clean sheet.
Stat Attack
- Under Pep Guardiola. Manchester City have lost just two of seven meetings with Leicester in all competitions, including two League Cup penalty shootouts which the Citizens won after 1-1 draws. (W5, L2)
- Seven of last eight meetings have seen both teams score with only three of those meetings coming at the Etihad.
- Marc Albrighton has scored on both of his two appearances for Leicester against Man City already this season.
- Sergio Aguero has hit the woodwork seven times this season, which is his worst woodwork hitting record in a single season since joining City in 2011-12.
- The Foxes have taken just four points from five away games against members of the ‘Big Six’ this season despite scoring in all five matches.
- Four corners here would see Manchester City set a new club record for most corners taken during a Premier League season under their current owners, beating last season’s record 284 corners.
- David Silva is yet to be involved in any penalty for Man City this season whereas Leicester’s James Maddison has been involved in three of the Foxes’ penalties.
Prediction
Manchester City cannot afford to slip up here against a Leicester side who will be confident of achieving a league double, especially after blowing Arsenal away last weekend.
I am therefore expecting another scrappy game for City because Leicester are a dangerous team to keep quiet, so they really need to be clinical like they were at Burnley last weekend.
Leicester however are playing under ex Liverpool boss – Brendan Rodgers so I have a feeling that we will get a shock akin to the Battle of Stamford Bridge in the 2015-16 season’s final Monday Night Football.
Prediction: Manchester City 1-2 Leicester City
Jake predicts: Manchester City 2-1 Leicester City
Result: Manchester City 1-0 Leicester City
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