Today at 14:45 the "Premier" league leaders' duel between the teams of "Leicester City" and "Manchester City" will take place. As the match approaches, Eurofootball.com presents you with the most important things to know before this game.
"Manchester City" - "Leicester City"
Time and place of the match: February 6 at 14:45 at the "Etihad" stadium in Manchester;
Referee: Anthony Taylor;
Head-to-head history in the "Premier" league: "Manchester City" won four times, "Leicester City" three times, and two matches ended in a draw;
Teams' form: "Manchester City" (3 wins, 2 draws); "Leicester City" (3 wins, 2 draws);
Tournament situation: after 24 rounds, "Leicester City" leads the league with 50 points, while "Manchester City" is second with 47 points.
Teams' news:
"Manchester City":
Before the match with "Leicester City", "Manchester City" lost their winger Jesus Navas. The Spaniard got injured in the middle of the week during the match against "Sunderland".
Team captain Vincent Kompany (calf) is nearing a return to the field but is not physically ready for the match yet. Defender Eliaquim Mangala (knee), midfielders Kevin De Bruyne (knee) and Samir Nasri (hamstring), as well as forward Wilfried Bony (calf), will continue to be unavailable for the team.
Players ready for the match: Hart, Caballero, Sagna, Zabaleta, Demichelis, Otamendi, Clichy, Kolarov, Toure, Fernando, Fernandinho, Delph, Silva, Sterling, Aguero, Iheanacho, Humphreys, Celina, Barker.
"Leicester City":
"Foxes" coach Claudio Ranieri will have to decide whether Daniel Amartey's fitness has finally reached a level that would allow him to play. Amartey joined the team on January 23 but has not yet been included in the main squad due to his poor physical condition, which resulted from playing his last match back in early December with "FC Copenhagen" in Denmark.
The Ghanaian international can play in various positions - although he is most often deployed as a defensive midfielder, he has no trouble playing as a center-back or right-back. The signing of this player was the main reason why Ranieri allowed Ritchie De Laet and Yohan Benalouane to leave. The only guaranteed absences for the match at "Leicester City" are Matty James (knee) and Jeff Schlupp (hamstring).
Players ready for the match: Schmeichel, Schwarzer, Simpson, Chilwell, Fuchs, Wasilewski, Huth, Morgan, King, Drinkwater, Kante, Amartey, Albrighton, Inler, Gray, Mahrez, Dyer, Vardy, Ulloa, Okazaki.
Key statistics before the match:
Manchester City have won 16 of their last 19 "Premier" league matches at the "Etihad" stadium (16 wins, 1 draw, 2 losses);
Leicester City have not scored in their last three matches against Manchester City;
Only one team ("Everton" on January 13, 2016) managed to stop Manchester City's attack and prevent them from scoring in their last 27 matches at the "Etihad" stadium;
Leicester City have suffered only one defeat in their last 15 away matches in the "Premier" league (9 wins, 5 draws, 1 loss);
Sergio Aguero has scored 12 goals in his last 10 matches in the "Premier" league;
On the day of the match, Leicester City will have been at the top of the English league for 47 days. In the 2015-2016 season, only today's opponents - Manchester City, spent more time at the top of the "Premier" league (100 days);
Manchester City are the team that has earned the most points at home in the "Premier" league this season (28 points), while Leicester City respectively occupy the first place in terms of points earned in away matches (25 points);
Without Jamie Vardy's 18 goals in this "Premier" league season, Leicester City would have 18 points less;
Vardy has scored the opening goal in a match eight times this season in the "Premier" league - the best result in the entire league;
Manchester City share the first place for making the most changes in the starting lineup in the first 24 rounds (62), while their opponents have made the fewest changes (21).
