Manchester City will host Leicester City at the Etihad Stadium on April 2, 2025, in a vital Premier League encounter. The fixture is extremely significant for both teams, as Manchester City are seeking to consolidate their position in the top four, while Leicester City are fighting to remain above the drop zone.
Match Details
- Date and Time: Wednesday, April 2, 2025, at 20:45 BST
- Location: Etihad Stadium, Manchester
Team News
Manchester City:
Manchester City will be deprived of their goalscoring forward Erling Haaland, who has an ankle injury sustained during the FA Cup quarter-final game with Bournemouth. Manager Pep Guardiola announced that Haaland would be out of action for five to seven weeks, a considerable loss for City's attacking squad. (as.com)
Leicester City:
Leicester City have been in woeful form, sitting 19th in the league table. Leicester have lost seven of their last games in all competitions, failing to score in five straight games. Leicester's manager Ruud van Nistelrooy now has to revive the team to prevent them from being relegated. (thesun.co.uk)
Head-to-Head Statistics (H2H Stats)
Historically, Manchester City have dominated this game. In 128 meetings, City have won 67 and Leicester have won 32, with 29 of those games being drawn. Amazingly, Manchester City have won all their last five meetings with Leicester, including a 2-0 victory when they last faced each other on December 29, 2024. (sportsmole.co.uk)
Recent Form
Manchester City:
City's recent form has been inconsistent, with a record of WLWLD in their last five games. While their FA Cup performances have been positive, their league performances have been inconsistent, and the loss of Haaland could impact their attacking play. (thescore.com)
Leicester City:
Leicester's performance has been inconsistent, with five straight defeats in their recent matches. Both their offense and defense have been inconsistent, and that's why they are in such a fragile position in the league. (thescore.com)
Key Players to Watch
Manchester City:
- Kevin De Bruyne: In the absence of Haaland, De Bruyne will be the key player in the midfield, bringing creativity and leadership to City's attacking plays.
- Phil Foden: The young midfielder might be the one to fill the boots and provide the spark needed with some of his attacking talismans not available.
Leicester City:
- Jamie Vardy: Leicester's fortunes or not, Vardy's experience and end product ensure he remains a thorn for defenses to contend with.
- Wilfred Ndidi: His role in midfield will be vital in breaking up City's attacks and providing stability to Leicester's defense.
Predicted Lineups
Manchester City (4-2-3-1):
- Goalkeeper: Stefan Ortega
- Defenders: Joško Gvardiol, Rúben Dias, Rico Lewis, Abdukodir Khusanov
- Midfielders: Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden, Bernardo Silva
- Forwards: Omar Marmoush
Leicester City (3-4-2-1):
- Goalkeeper: Mads Hermansen
- Defenders: James Justin, Wout Faes, Luke Thomas
- Midfielders: Ricardo Pereira, Wilfred Ndidi, Bilal El Khannouss, Boubakary Soumaré
- Forwards: Jamie Vardy, Patson Daka
Match Prediction
With the current performance and head-to-head statistics, Manchester City is expected to win this match. The defensive frailties and failure to score goals for Leicester make it hard to imagine an upset.
Prediction:
Manchester City 2-0 Leicester City
Betting Tips
- Manchester City win: Given their superior form and home advantage, it is a logical choice to bet on City to win.
- Under 3.5 goals: Considering Leicester's abysmal goal record and City's sound defense, an under 3.5 goals wager seems likely.
- Both teams to score - No: Leicester City's recent inability to score means that the City will record a clean sheet.
Conclusion
As the Premier League season progresses, games like this become crucial to teams who have different motives. Manchester City will be looking to cash in on their home form and Leicester's recent losing streak to bag three points, while Leicester will hope to put their losing sequence and momentum for the relegation battle behind them. Fans ought to look out for a highly entertaining contest at night in the Etihad Stadium.
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