Hitting low ebb after low ebb, Premier League champions-in-crisis Manchester City endeavour to close 2024 with an increasingly rare win away to Leicester City on Sunday afternoon.
Pep Guardiola's troops could only nick a point off of Everton on Boxing Day, while the Foxes threatened to spring a surprise against Liverpool before losing 3-1 to the league leaders.
Match preview
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Festive cheer was already in short supply in the blue half of Manchester before the visit of Sean Dyche's team, who had stunted Arsenal and Chelsea's high-flying attackers and had every right to feel optimistic of nullifying Erling Haaland and co at the crumbling Etihad.
A Bernardo Silva strike in the opening 15 minutes put paid to the idea of another high-profile 0-0 stalemate involving Everton, but one Iliman Ndiaye equaliser and missed Haaland penalty later, Man City failed to win a Premier League game for the eighth time in nine matches.
All but out of the title picture approaching the halfway mark - 14 points behind Liverpool having played a game more - Man City's customary Champions League qualification is far from assured either, as the Citizens sit in unchartered territory in seventh place in the Premier League table.
Losing Ballon d'Or winner Rodri, failure to refresh an ageing squad and a perpetual injury crisis can all be highlighted when trying to pinpoint the root of Man City's calamitous collapse, and Guardiola's list of New Year's resolutions should be the longest it has ever been.
The Boxing Day stalemate with the Toffees means that the former Champions League winners have just the one win under their belts from their last 13 matches in all competitions, and each of Man City's last five away games in the Premier League have seen the Citizens concede two goals, while only nabbing one point from a possible 15.
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For approximately 40 minutes on Thursday evening, it was not all doom and gloom for the crestfallen Man City faithful, who shared Chelsea and Arsenal's joy when Jordan Ayew sent Leicester into a shock lead against Liverpool at a fog-filled Anfield.
Ruud van Nistelrooy's men were oh so close to holding out until the half-time whistle, but a Cody Gakpo stunner breathed new life into the league leaders, who subsequently turned the tide in the second half through a Curtis Jones strike and Mohamed Salah's 100th Premier League home goal.
The Foxes should feel no shame in losing to the best team in the land this season, but a third straight defeat coupled with Wolverhampton Wanderers getting the better of Manchester United was enough to plunge Sunday's hosts into the relegation zone, one point worse off than Vitor Pereira's team.
Now officially boasting the joint-leakiest defence in the division alongside Wolves, Leicester have allowed 40 strikes in their 18 top-flight contests this season - including 12 in their last four - and it is now 12 matches without a clean sheet for the floundering Foxes.
Leicester did manage to shut Man City out during their most recent beating of the Premier League champions in the 2021 Community Shield, but Guardiola's men have since won four on the spin over the Foxes and have not conceded a goal at the King Power since Boxing Day 2018 - a festive omen for optimism?
Team News
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City's efforts against Everton were not helped by a sickness bug making its way through the camp, and Kyle Walker was forced to sit out the visit of the Toffees due to his bout of flu, which he may or may not have recovered from by the time Sunday's game rolls around.
Ederson (knock), Matheus Nunes (knock), John Stones (ankle) and Jack Grealish (muscle) are also on Guardiola's touch-and-go list, while Oscar Bobb (leg), Rodri (ACL) and Ruben Dias (muscle) are definitely out, but Nathan Ake should be fine to feature after coming off on Boxing Day due to fatigue.
Senior options for change will be limited if none of the doubtful contingent is passed fit, but Ilkay Gundogan and Kevin De Bruyne could freshen up the engine room, and there might be scope for James McAtee to earn some minutes as well.
As for Leicester, Ayew's positive contribution against Liverpool preceded a negative one; the Foxes attacker was booked for the fifth time in the Premier League season late in the first half and misses Sunday's game through suspension as a result.
Ayew joins Ricardo Pereira (thigh), Mads Hermansen (groin), Wilfred Ndidi (thigh) and Abdul Fatawu (knee) on the hosts' absentee list, and Van Nistelrooy is also sweating over the fitness of Jamie Vardy, who sat out the Liverpool loss with a knock.
No player has scored more documented goals in this fixture than the 37-year-old, who has netted nine times against Man City in the past, but Patson Daka is ready and waiting to deputise again if need be.
Leicester City possible starting lineup:
Stolarczyk; Justin, Okoli, Vestergaard, Kristiansen; Winks, Soumare; Decordova-Reid, Buonanotte, Mavididi; Vardy
Manchester City possible starting lineup:
Ortega; Lewis, Akanji, Ake, Gvardiol; Kovacic; Savinho, Silva, De Bruyne, Foden; Haaland
We say: Leicester City 1-2 Manchester City
Leicester's attacking success against Liverpool may have been fleeting, but Van Nistelrooy's men did enough to suggest that they can prolong Man City's defensive misery and end their scoreless streak versus the champions at the King Power.
The Foxes remain far too easy to penetrate at the back, though, and even though Man City could hardly be in a worse moment, we have faith in the holders to end 2024 as they mean to start 2025.
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Ben Knapton
