High-riding Leicester Stakes Form at the Etihad

High-riding Leicester  Stakes Form at the Etihad

After surviving their bogey team-Wolves in their first game, injury hit Manchester City will face another tough test in their bid to wrestle the Premier League title from Liverpool as they welcome high scoring Leicester City to the Etihad Stadium tomorrow. Both managers-Pep Guardiola and Brendan Rodgers- have not hidden their intentions of going for the three points at stake after fielding their fringe players in the Carabao Cup during the week

Two emphatic wins for Leicester saw them top the table after their win over Burnley last weekend but this is a major test for them as they go to the Etihad. Manchester City looked sharp on Monday night against Wolves and they will be desperate to make a fast start and put a marker down. The Foxes are not helped by an injury to Ndidi and he will be a major loss in a game like this. While Leicester are flying offensively and can certainly score against this City defence, the hosts will create plenty of opportunities themselves. Expected both teams to score and a home win here.

Meanwhile, Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola claims to have just 13 fit senior players available for tomorrow’s clash with Leicester.
City are less than a week into their new season but already have a lengthy list of absentees.
Guardiola turned to youth for Thursday’s 2-1 Carabao Cup victory over Bournemouth and expects to have to call upon the club’s Academy resources again.

One youngster who caught the eye was 17-year-old striker Liam Delap – son of former Stoke midfielder Rory – who opened the scoring with a fine strike from just inside the area.
With Sergio Aguero possibly out for another two months as he recovers from knee surgery, the teenager could see more action in the coming weeks.

Guardiola said: “Well, the situation we have right now, we have just 13 players available in the first team. We need the Academy, not just for the training sessions. They can be selected during the games.
On his Sunday’s opponent, he said; “Leicester have exceptional players up front and in the middle. We know it. We know how tough it will be.
“They are leading the Premier League right now. It will be incredibly tough, we know that. It is always difficult and it will be no exception.

“We play at home. I see the team really well in terms of happiness. The young players help us a lot and we move forward.”
Meanwhile, Manchester united will look to get off the mark in the premier league at the second time of asking today when they take on Brighton & hove Albion at the Amex Stadium.
both sides beat championship opposition away from home in the EFL Cup in midweek, but they suffered contrasting fortunes in their last league games with Brighton beating Newcastle united and man united losing at home to crystal palace.

after a summer of frustration in the transfer market and off-field headlines for the wrong reasons surrounding a couple of their key players, Manchester United would have been desperate to get off to a positive start when their premier league campaign belatedly got underway last weekend.
Safe to say, that did not prove to be the case; a 3-1 home defeat to Crystal Palace only increased the scrutiny on United’s summer dealings and undermined their hopes of closing the gap on the top two after a third-placed finish last time out.

It was only the third time that united had lost their opening home premier league game, and it was also the first time palace had scored more than twice in their past 40 league games, shining a light on the red devils’ defensive options.
The result only serves to heap more pressure on bouncing back this weekend, particularly with Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Arsenal to come in three of their next four league games after this one.

United did at least pick up their first win of the season away at Luton Town in midweek, running out 3-0 winners in a scoreline somewhat embellished by late goals from Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood.
That victory was Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s 50th as Manchester United boss across all competitions – a milestone he has reached quicker than Sir Alex Ferguson or Sir Matt Busby managed.

Indeed, his tally of 92 games in which to chalk up 50 wins is behind only Ernest Mangnall (78) and Jose Mourinho (81) in the United history books, yet anything other than a 51st win at the helm this weekend may just prompt more whispers regarding his suitability for the role.
The win over Luton set united on course for another potential clash with today’s opponents, and Brighton’s triumph over Preston North End one day later confirmed that these two will face off twice in the space of just a few days, both games coming at the Amex.

Brighton will go into what would ordinarily be a daunting double-header full of confidence, not least as they have won two of their three Premier League home games against United
The corresponding fixture last season was the exception to that as United ran out comfortable 3-0 winners, but that was their first league triumph away to Brighton since 1982 and the Seagulls go into this weekend’s clash in good form.

Like Saturday’s opponents, Brighton began their campaign with a 3-1 home loss, but they still managed to impress in that match against Chelsea and since then have chalked up three wins in a row by an aggregate scoreline of 9-0.
EFL Cup victories over Portsmouth and Preston sandwich last weekend’s 3-0 triumph at Newcastle, which saw Neal Maupay score twice in the opening seven minutes before Aaron Connolly completed the job late on.

It is home form in the league which will be the biggest concern for Graham Potter at this stage, with the opening-day defeat to Chelsea leaving them with only one point from the last 15 available at the Amex and only one win in 10 top-flight home outings this calendar year.
By contrast, United are unbeaten on the road since January – a seven-game run which includes clean sheets in each of their last four such outings.

The corresponding fixture last season was the exception to that as United ran out comfortable 3-0 winners, but that was their first league triumph away to Brighton since 1982 and the Seagulls go into this weekend’s clash in good form.
Like Saturday’s opponents, Brighton began their campaign with a 3-1 home loss, but they still managed to impress in that match against Chelsea and since then have chalked up three wins in a row by an aggregate scoreline of 9-0.

EFL Cup victories over Portsmouth and Preston sandwich last weekend’s 3-0 triumph at Newcastle, which saw Neal Maupay score twice in the opening seven minutes before Aaron Connolly completed the job late on.
It is home form in the league which will be the biggest concern for Graham Potter at this stage, with the opening-day defeat to Chelsea leaving them with only one point from the last 15 available at the Amex and only one win in 10 top-flight home outings this calendar year.
By contrast, United are unbeaten on the road since January – a seven-game run which includes clean sheets in each of their last four such outings.

Related Articles