Leicester v Man City predictions: In-form Maddison value to break the deadlock

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Leicester v Man City in the Premier League on Saturday.

Where to watch

BT Sport 1, 12.30pm Saturday

Best bet

J Maddison first goalscorer
1pt each-way 18-1 bet365

Team news

Leicester
Jonny Evans and Wilfred Ndidi could both be available for the Foxes.

Manchester City
Top scorer Erling Haaland (foot) is a doubt while Kyle Walker and Kalvin Phillips are out.

Match preview

Punters will be scratching their heads harder than usual over a showdown at the King Power that had a very different look to it a month ago.

Back then Leicester were shipping goals left, right and centre while Manchester City were scoring for fun, but suddenly there's a different look to the script.

The Foxes, despite not being able to field their first-choice defence, welcome the champions on a run of four clean sheets in five. And the champions haven't found the net in three of their last four.

The question, of course, is does the turnaround alter your thinking enough to consider a punt on Leicester at a fancy price, or at the very least a lay of Pep Guardiola's stuttering superpowers?

There is certainly no great merit in piling into City given they have won one of their last four and aren't operating at their slickest best.

But Leicester's three wins in their last five have all been against the only three teams below them in the Premier League standings. Granted, they couldn't have influenced the fixture list but it can't be forgotten they have lost all five of their matches against teams currently in the top half.

What is for certain is that Leicester are creating chances and taking them – they have by some distance scored the most goals of teams in the bottom half – and boast quality players such as James Maddison, Harvey Barnes and, if summoned, Jamie Vardy, who could be recalled given he's bagged two hat-tricks against Guardiola's men.

Of that trio, six-goal Maddison looks a decent price to net first at the King Power. He's playing well, scoring goals, getting in threatening positions and he will enjoy going up against a City defence who can be exposed.

The champs, of course, have bags of firepower of their own and their current run of blanks – against good sides in the case of Liverpool and Dortmund – will end, with or without Erling Haaland, who hurt his foot on Tuesday night.

These extra games, though, are taking their toll on some of the sides involved in Europe – Arsenal were flat at PSV, Spurs have looked stale for a while, Liverpool are hardly flying and City are feeling the strain, too.

There is still an expectation of goals, although it doesn't come with a guarantee. These sides met three times last season – two ended in 1-0 scorelines, the other 6-3. The vagaries of the Premier League laid out for all to see.

City will dominate the ball against a Leicester side who, for all their recent upturn, are still unconvincing and even at tempting odds aren't easy to trust.