Manchester City vs Leicester: Only three City players make combined XI
Manchester City were expected to challenge Liverpool for the Premier League title this season but head into Saturday's match chasing Leicester for second place. Pep Guardiola's side, who were gutted of highly rated assistant Mikel Arteta to Arsenal on Friday, start the weekend four points behind the Foxes.
Saturday's match at the Etihad will feature the top three highest WhoScored rated players in the Premier League this season. Kevin De Bruyne is currently first with a superb WhoScored rating of 7.93. The 28-year-old has registered at least two more assists than any other player in the division (9) and has also scored six goals from 16 appearances. James Maddison trails De Bruyne in second with a hugely impressive WhoScored rating of 7.73, with Leicester right-back Ricardo Pereira just behind with a WhoScored rating of 7.72.
All three players make the City and Leicester combined XI but there are some notable absences, particularly for the home side. Using a minium of eight league appearances this season, with only those available for selection this weekend, City only have three representatives in the XI. Leicester have the best defensive record in the Premier League this season, conceding at least three fewer goals than any other team and have the entire back four as well as Kasper Schmeichel in goal in the XI.
De Bruyne and Maddison occupy two of the four midfield spots and are joined by Leicester's defensive enforcer Wilfred Ndidi and City star Raheem Sterling. The former has won possession in the midfield third more times than any other player in the Premier League this term (85), while Sterling has already racked up nine league goals from 16 league appearances.
Concluding the XI is a strike partnership of Jamie Vardy and Sergio Aguero, who would inflict terror on any defence they come up against. Vardy is the league's top scorer this season with 16 goals from 17 appearances and has scored more goals against City since Pep Guardiola took charge in 2016 than any other player (5). Sergio Aguero has this week returned to training to provide City with a welcome boost ahead of this weekend's match and will look to add to his tally of nine goals from 12 league appearances. The Argentina international started the season by scoring in each of City's first six league matches.
