Leicester City vs Manchester City: All you need to know

When is Leicester City vs Manchester City?

If at the start of the season anybody had said Leicester City could go into the new year top of the Premier League table they would have been roundly ridiculed. However, after losing top spot on Monday evening after Arsenal's 2-0 defeat of Bournemouth that could still happen if Claudio Ranieri's side beat Manchester City at King Power Stadium. The match starts at 7.45pm.

What TV channel is the game on?

It's on BT Sport 1. Coverage starts at 7pm.

What are the managers are saying?

"You know my idea about this [the title] – we are dreaming," said Ranieri. "We are in good condition and in a good position with 38 points.

"Now we can continue, but I want to see my players enjoy it. I don't know why we were so nervous at the beginning. Why?

"Play football, don't worry. If you lose, lose. That's it. We have the time."

Manuel Pellegrini, whose City side moved within three points of Leicester by beating Sunderland 4-1 on Saturday, meanwhile, said: "Before that they beat Chelsea and drew against [Manchester] United.

"We must consider Leicester not thinking that they lost on Saturday and could collapse, but as a team that will have options to be fighting for the title until the end. With that mentality we must try to play the game.

"They are top of the table because they deserve to be. They have important players in a very good moment with high performance."

Leicester's remarkable rise has been fuelled by the form of attack duo Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez. Vardy was the competition's leading scorer with 15 goals after 18 games with Mahrez just two behind. In addition Mahrez had weighed in with seven assists and Vardy three.

Yet while they may provide a lot of the spark for Claudio Ranieri's side, Pellegrini is aware there is much more to the team.

The Chilean said: "Maybe both of them are in a very good performance but I don't think they could do it if the complete team was not performing well. They are important players but we must think a lot of different things and not just two players.

"We must think about Leicester as a team and hope if we repeat the performance we did on Saturday we can beat them – but it will be a very tough game."

Mike Whalley's prediction

Manchester City ought to be feeling optimistic after Boxing day's results all went their way, but they have not won away in the Premier League since Sept 12 and are once again without influential captain Vincent Kompany because of injury. Leicester perhaps have a point to prove after an under-par display in defeat at Liverpool. Ranieri's side have been magnificent up until Christmas; the challenge now is to maintain their momentum.
Prediction: 1-2

What are the Leicester City vs Manchester City odds?

Leicester: 3/1

City: 9/10

Draw: 11/4

Your prediction

Team news and possible starting XIs

Leicester (4-4-2): Schmeichel; Simpson, Morgan, Huth, Fuchs; Mahrez, King, Kante, Dyer; Vardy, Ulloa.
Out: James (fitness), Schlupp (hamstring).
Tests: Drinkwater (hamstring), Vardy (illness).

Manchester City (4-2-3-1): Hart; Zabaleta, Otamendi, Mangala, Clichy; Fernandinho, Delph; De Bruyne, Toure, Silva; Aguero.
Out: Kompany (calf), Nasri (hamstring).

Referee: Craig Pawson (South Yorkshire).
Stat: City are unbeaten in eight games against Leicester.