WHO: Leicester City vs Manchester City
What: English Premier League
Where: King Power Stadium, Leicester, United Kingdom
When: 12:30pm (12:30 GMT) Sunday
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Pep Guardiola insists he will not walk out on troubled Manchester City as he tries to halt the champions' dramatic decline.
The Spaniard, whose team visits Leicester City on Sunday, recently signed a two-year contract extension but City's dismal form has raised questions about his future. Nightmare run of nine losses in 13 gameswith just one win in that miserable spell, it prompted suggestions that the City boss could decide to resign if he cannot find an answer to his team's problems.
After leading City to six Premier League titles in the past seven seasons, however, Guardiola is adamant he still has the hunger to turn things around.
“I'll try, I'll keep going. “Sometimes you think the bad run will end sooner or it would be easier to fix, but it takes more time,” he told reporters before Sunday's game. “I will not give up. I want to be here. I want to do it and, given the situation we have, we have to do it.
“Of course, I want it, everyone wants it. I don't want to disappoint my people in terms of the club, the fans, the people who love this club. I think that all of us in our work want to do it well and please the people. That is undeniable, not a question mark.
“The biggest test is to come back again, but we've done that before.”
Guardiola does not criticize in City's crisis
Injuries have been a major factor in City's decline, leaving them languishing in seventh place in the Premier League.
In particular, the gaping hole left by Rodri, who won the Ballon d'Or, like him recovering from a long-term knee injury. The inconsistent form in an inconsistent season was not helped by the usually prolific Erling Haaland, who missed a penalty that could have sealed City's victory against Everton in the game on end of them.
Haaland scored just once in his last seven games, but Guardiola refused to blame the Norwegian striker or any of his teammates.
“I don't have it in my education to start complaining, to point people out. It has happened, it's life, it's football, so let's try it again,” he said.
“That's why we've been successful, because it's always not enough, we try again and again and again. That's why we won a lot of titles.
“Every three days it was a game and win, win, win for many months and years. Now, we have to do the same thing when the results are not good. “
Plenty of movement ⬆️⬇️ pic.twitter.com/yumQgXPdfA
– Premier League (@premierleague) December 28, 2024
City still have doubts over the fitness of several players as they try to get back to winning ways at struggling Leicester, who have won just one of their last 11.
“Sometimes you get injured,” Guardiola said. “For how many years we were very consistent but now, yes, we are a bit down and the main reason is that so many important players are injured.
“But I saw the spirit of the team, how we trained this week, how focused they are, how they try to work. “
Leicester City team news
Jordan Ayew, who is suspended after the striker was booked for the fifth time this season when Liverpool lost last time out at Leicester.
Captain Jamie Vardy should be fit to return from a minor knock, but Wout Faes misses out again in defence.
Man City team news
The long-term absentee joined Ruben Dias, John Stones, Ederson, Kyle Walker, Jack Grealish and Matheus Nunes for the 1-1 draw with Everton.
Head-to-head
This is the 128th meeting between the clubs, City have won 64 times, and Leicester have lost the spoils after 32 of the encounters.
City have won their last five league meetings, scoring 10 goals in the last three, and Leicester could only break that run with a Community Shield victory after the 2020-21 season won the title.
Leicester's last win in the league that campaign came in a 5-2 victory at City, which included a hat-trick from Vardy. The return leg at the King Power Stadium resulted in a 2-0 scoreline which gave City three points and started their current run of dominance over the Foxes in the league.
Where is your side sitting right now?#Joke pic.twitter.com/AT9MZPPnz2
– Premier League (@premierleague) December 28, 2024
