Leicester City will look to secure another week as Premier League leaders when they host title hopefuls Manchester United at the King Power Stadium on Saturday.
The Foxes start the weekend one point clear of United at the top of the table as they bid to continue to their impressive form under Claudio Ranieri.
Leicester
© Getty Images
Leicester have gone far beyond surprising people with their form this season. Surprise was being in the top half early in the campaign, but being top of the league after 13 matches is enough to leave most people stunned.
After escaping relegation last season, many would have expected the Foxes to be battling it out towards the bottom of the table, but Ranieri has maintained the club's momentum and improved the side to take them to the summit.
With the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal and United all bidding to be crowned champions, it really cannot be underestimated just how well Ranieri and his players have performed in recent months.
Jamie Vardy, who was on target in last week's 3-0 win over Newcastle United, has led the way by scoring in 10 successive league games, and he can break Ruud van Nistelrooy's Premier League record by scoring against the Dutchman's former club this weekend.
It would be unfair to say that Vardy's form is the only reason for Leicester being in their current position, but the 28-year-old is certainly the star benefiting from some excellent performances elsewhere on the pitch.
Even at this stage of the season, it is difficult to predict where Leicester will finish. The club's supporters will be expecting the dream to end at some point in the near future, but with confidence higher than ever, the optimism will be obvious to everyone packed inside the ground at Saturday teatime.
Recent form: WDWWWW
Recent form (all competitions): DWLWWW
Manchester United
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Louis van Gaal must be used to the attention which comes with being manager at Old Trafford, and he certainly should not be surprised about the response to below-par performances.
The frustration was clear in the stands as jeers greeted the final whistle following an uninspiring goalless draw with PSV Eindhoven which leaves United in a tough position in the Champions League heading into their final group game away to Wolfsburg.
It was a display which underlined the issues many supporters have with this side as United battled through the 90 minutes without showing much creativity, and the lack of ideas in the final third of the pitch must surely be a huge concern after another summer of investment.
Despite the criticism which has arrived in recent days, United remain in a strong position in the league and they will go top with victory over the Foxes at the weekend.
Questions will continue to be raised until United are more convincing in games, but one thing has quickly become certain - Van Gaal's side have a tendency to pick up points even when they are not at their best this season.
It is a big reason why their only defeat in the last nine matches in all competitions was a disappointing penalty shootout loss to Middlesbrough. If an improvement is to arrive in the near future, this squad could deliver more success than many are expecting them to this season.
Recent form: LWDDWW
Recent form (all competitions): LDWWWD
Team News
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Van Gaal is likely to make changes to the side that drew with PSV, with Juan Mata almost certain to return to the side after coming off the bench in midweek.
Jesse Lingard or Memphis Depay could lose their spot in the team, while Ashley Young and Phil Jones are both pushing for recalls.
Ranieri removed Vardy in the closing stages of last weekend's win over Newcastle, but the Leicester boss has confirmed that the striker is fit for the visit of the Red Devils.
Matty James remains the only Leicester player unavailable as he continues his recovery from a knee injury picked up in May.
Leicester possible starting lineup:
Schmeichel; Simpson, Morgan, Huth, Fuchs; Drinkwater, Kante, Albrighton, Mahrez; Ulloa, Vardy
Man Utd possible starting lineup:
De Gea; Young, Smalling, Jones, Blind; Schneiderlin, Schweinsteiger; Lingard, Rooney, Mata; Martial
Head To Head
Leicester were responsible for one of the most shocking results of last season when they claimed a 5-3 victory over United at the King Power Stadium, before Van Gaal's side avenged the loss by beating the Foxes 3-1 in January.
The eight-goal thriller between the two sides will certainly live long in the memory, but it is United who have dominated this fixture over the years with 10 wins from the past 11 league games.
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Hit play below to see what the Sports Mole Sofa had to say about this encounter:
We say: Leicester 1-2 Man Utd
Leicester are performing so impressively that it might no longer be a surprise if they produce a performance worthy of collecting all three points, but their defence is also likely to give up opportunities to the visiting attack. It will come down to who is more clinical in front of goal, and if United can keep Vardy relatively quiet, they could be sitting top of the table at the weekend.
Callum Mulvihill
