Man City are back in action on Saturday, with the English giants resuming their title defense with an interesting clash with Leicester. The Cityzens, who are currently second in the table, look to maintain pressure on leaders Arsenal but face an unknown in their clash with the Foxes.
Guardiola's men enter this fixture on the back of their huge 3-0 win over Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals. Goals from Rodri, Bernardo Silva, and the unstoppable Erling Haaland helped the English giants seal an early commanding lead ahead of the return leg at the Allianz Arena.
However, despite the scoreline, it was an interesting battle between Guardiola and Tuchel, the only man to get the better of Pep in a UEFA Champions League final. Speaking after the game, even Bernardo Silva admitted that the result could have gone both ways, meaning the club will have one eye on the return leg next week.
Nonetheless, the Cityzens have been in impeccable form lately, having won nine games in a row across all competitions. In fact, the last time Haaland and Co. failed to win a game was in late February when they drew 1-1 away to RB Leipzig in the round of 16 — they eventually thrashed the Germans 7-0 in the second leg.
However, the club still trail league leaders Arsenal. The Gunners' 2-2 draw at Liverpool last weekend saw that lead decrease to six points, with Manchester City boasting a game in hand. As a result, things are beginning to look a lot more favorable for the reigning champions.
Arteta's men will travel to West Ham on Sunday which means Guardiola's men can inch closer to the league leaders with a win at home to Leicester. Given that the visitors are fighting relegation, Haaland and Co. should fancy their odds.
Leicester, meanwhile, are fighting for their lives in what has been a dreadful campaign from the Foxes. Gone are the days when Vardy and Co. were challenging for European spots. Instead, the modest club are now at risk of losing their Premier League status.
The club are second from bottom in the table. As a result, the decision to part ways with Brendan Rodgers wasn't shocking. With only one win from their last 10 games, a change was needed at the King Power Stadium.
However, the man appointed to replace Rodgers doesn't inspire much confidence. Dean Smith, the manager who nearly got Aston Villa relegated before overseeing Norwich's return to the Championship, has taken over at Leicester.
Leicester are on a three-game losing streak since drawing with Brentford in March and the first task will be to stop this freefall. Fortunately, only five points separate the Foxes from 14th-placed West Ham, meaning all hope is not yet lost.
However, picking up a point against Man City is a difficult task, let alone at the Etihad Stadium. Can the relegation battlers pull off a shock against the Premier League champions or will they fall prey to Haaland and Co.? Don't miss this clash.
Team news
Man City: De Bruyne picked up an issue during the win over Bayern Munich but Pep has revealed that it's nothing serious and that the Belgian is available for this tie. Phil Foden, however, remains sidelined. Guardiola could make a number of changes, with Laporte and Walker eyeing minutes while Riyad Mahrez could reclaim his spot in the lineup over Bernardo Silva.
Leicester: Dean Smith will be without Harvey Barnes and Ricardo Pereira in his debut game, which is a huge blow, as both men are injured, joining James Justin and Ryan Bertrand on the sidelines. However, Youri Tielemans is back fit while Jonny Evans could get a start.
Key stats
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Man City are on a five-game winning streak in the Premier League.
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Leicester, on the other hand, have lost seven of their last eight English top-flight outings.
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Five of the Foxes' last six visits to the Etihad Staidum have ended in defeats.
Broadcast listings
Match details, result and original broadcast info
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