Verdict: Manchester City win & Both teams to score
Best Odds: 7/5
Bookmaker: Unibet
Looking to make it two in two when they return to the Etihad this weekend, Manchester City will play host to Leicester on Sunday afternoon.
Manchester City
Starting with the hosts, watching his heavily-altered squad come past Bournemouth while on EFL Cup duties on Thursday night, Pep Guardiola was filled with praise after his side made a thumping return to Premier League action at Molineux. Holding onto their lead despite Wolves’ second-half charge earlier in the week, the Sky Blues landed an impressive 3-1 victory on their travels and will simply be looking to lay down another marker to Liverpool this weekend. Appearing to have put their Champions League heartbreak out in Portugal behind them, the one-time Barcelona boss has seen his side enjoy an extended free-scoring run while on top-flight duties. Including signing off the extended 2019/2020 campaign with a thumping 5-0 romp against recently relegated Norwich at the Etihad back in July, City have now remarkably bagged a staggering 24 goals in just their last six Premier League contests continuing on from the summer. In fact, the title-chasers have won their last seven fixtures on home soil by an aggregate score of 26-1.
Team News
Manchester City are without a recognised senior striker after Gabriel Jesus was ruled out with an injury sustained at Wolves on Monday.
Central defender Aymeric Laporte is not fully fit after only recently returning to training following a period of self-isolation.
Leicester City
As for the visitors, while a makeshift Leicester squad saw Arsenal end their EFL Cup adventure at the King Power in midweek, Brendan Rodgers’ men have enjoyed a real flurry since opening the New Year. With last year’s Golden Boot winner Jamies Vardy opening his account with a brace in the Blues’ 3-0 victory away at West Brom a fortnight ago, the one-time Liverpool boss saw his side hit Burnley for four last weekend. With the early signs appearing to show that they have put their post-lockdown collapse behind them, they travel to the Etihad as one of just four sides who can boast a 100% start among teams who have made two appearances. However, In for what could be an unenviable step up in class when they travel to the blue half of Manchester on Sunday, the Foxes could also be concerned by their most recent meetings against the former champions. Including a 1-0 defeat when the two sides last faced off back in February, Rodgers’ men have now lost each of their last three straight meetings against this weekend’s hosts.
Team News
Leicester City midfielder Wilfried Ndidi needs surgery on a groin injury and will be out for up to 12 weeks.
Ricardo Pereira remains out but Jonny Evans could feature following a ban.
Key Factors to Consider
- Including a 1-0 win when the twos sides last faced off back in February, Manchester City have won each of their last three straight contests against the Foxes.
- City are unbeaten in 11 Premier League home games, scoring at least twice in each of them (W10, D1).
- Kevin De Bruyne has scored seven goals and set up six in his past 10 league starts.
- Jamie Vardy has scored five goals in his past eight appearances against Manchester City in the Premier League. He’s also the only player to score a top-flight hat-trick against a side managed by Pep Guardiola, doing so in the Foxes’ 4-2 win against City in December 2016.
- Four of Leicester’s last five Premier League away fixtures have finished with over 2.5 goals.
Conclusion
On paper, we could be in for quite the contest at the Etihad on Sunday afternoon. With Manchester City making their return to Premier League duties with what was an eye-catching 3-1 win away at Wolves earlier in the week, Pep Guardiola’s men have continued on what has been nothing short of a stunning run of form in front of goal continuing on from their summer run. While Leicester might have also opened the 2020/2021 campaign with their own flurry after bagging seven strikes in their back-to-back victories, the Foxes could be in for an overwhelming test at the Etihad. Although we do expect Leicester to leave with something to show for themselves, we are backing City to extend on their winning run against Brendan Rodgers’ visitors.
Verdict: Manchester City win & Both teams to score
Best Odds: 7/5
Bookmaker: Unibet
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