There always seems to be a fixture or two in the Premier League that is utterly pivotal. This weekend it's Manchester City against Leicester on Saturday evening at the King Power Stadium.

The champions are in a rut, an ugly run of form that would see any other manager under serious pressure. The visitors are not enjoying their best form, either.

[ffc_insert title="" name="FM17 Project" image_ link="https://www.footballfancast.com/championship/aston-villa/villans-to-heroes-the-fm17-aston-villa-project-episode-4" link_text="Episode Three" ]

Having started the season like Pep Guardiola’s other juggernauts, Manchester City have spluttered through the last two months. A draw to Celtic in midweek only compounded this, while the inability to finish chances or defend cost them against Chelsea last weekend. Now four points behind the leaders, City are beginning a run of games without arguably their two most important players – Fernandinho and Sergio Aguero.

Leicester, although not suffering from significant suspensions, have their own issues. The heroes of last season are almost universally underperforming, with Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez unrecognisable from last season in particular. Additionally, summer signing Ahmed Musa and January addition Daniel Amartey are yet to reach the expected standards. Claudio Ranieri has been forced to tinker as a result, as his side have struggled at both ends of the pitch. Repetition of last season’s heroics were almost impossible, but a fall of this magnitude was not expected either.

Relegation is a real risk for Leicester. Currently two points above the bottom three, Ranieri’s side are on a run of one win in nine Premier League games. Champions League form has provided respite from the underachievement of the Premier League until this week. The Champions League has finished until 2017 and Ranieri’s rotation against Porto saw his side humiliated 5-0.

The title remains the aim for Manchester City and rightly so. Guardiola’s side may have only lost twice in the Premier League to date, but they have kept just one clean sheet in nine games. Form has been indifferent for much of the season, which perhaps makes their league standing all the more impressive. A trip to the champions is usually one of the toughest days in the Premier League calendar – this season, however, it is an altogether more welcoming task. While Leicester remain a force at home, their disjointed displays do not make them a fearsome opponent.

The space centrally, where Guardiola wants his side to dominate, will only play into City’s hands. Ranieri has stuck true to the 4-4-2 from last season, but – particularly suffering without N’Golo Kante – Leicester have been bypassed in the middle third. Whether Guardiola opts for a back three or four, it is a guarantee that he will flood the centre of the field giving his side at least one spare man. The greatest chance of success for the Foxes is that they can expose Manchester City’s defence with rapid transitions just as Chelsea did.

Off the back of that Chelsea defeat – and the subsequent disappointment against Celtic – Manchester City need a positive result at the King Power. While they are not going to disappear from title contention, Chelsea’s favourable upcoming fixtures means that the gap will only grow further.

Leicester are in a truly desperate situation, mind. The home side have two challenging away fixtures to follow this game, against Bournemouth and Stoke City, and must rely on their home form if they are to turn their domestic season around. If they can carry momentum from this game, those two fixtures will look considerably less daunting.

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