Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has warned his team they cannot afford to let their intensity drop as they travel to struggling Leicester.

City have burst into form in recent weeks, recording exhilarating Champions League victories over Bayern Munich and Roma amid a run of six successive wins.

Their midweek triumph in Rome saw them complete a remarkable turnaround in the Champions League as they claimed a place in the last 16 of Europe's elite competition - a feat that had seemed beyond them just a month ago.

Their good run of results has also seen them slash the eight-point advantage leaders Chelsea held over them in the Barclays Premier League to just three points.

City will therefore be expected to brush aside bottom side Leicester at the King Power Stadium on Saturday but Pellegrini claims there can be no complacency.

The Chilean said: "Maybe it has been a difficult start for them but I think they are a very good team.

"They beat Man United and they lost against Liverpool, but in a game they played also very well.

"We are not thinking about which position they are in the table. We are thinking about if we want to win, we must play the same way we are doing in the last weeks.

"I have always said to the players that for our club it is very important to continue in the Champions League, not just in the group stage, but that does not mean we don't care what is happening in the Premier League. The Premier League is as important as the Champions League."

Pellegrini sees the coming weeks, including the Christmas programme, as a critical spell in City's title defence.

They also play Crystal Palace, West Brom and Burnley before the end of the month and host Sunderland on New Year's Day.

Pellegrini said: "Our minds are now focused on the Premier League because we have to play four games more in December - 12 points.

"Including January 1, we have to play five games, so it is important we are very concentrated to try to continue winning in the same way we did against Everton, Southampton and Sunderland.

"December is a very important month for the Premier League. I hope if we continue winning and add three points more we will continue in the way we need to to be a successful team."

City captain Vincent Kompany is set to return for the champions. The defender was not risked for the midweek Champions League victory at Roma after a spell out with a hamstring injury.

Playmaker David Silva could start after returning from a knee injury as a substitute in Rome, while midfielder Yaya Toure is available after his European suspension.

However, City must continue without star striker Sergio Aguero, who is out with a knee injury.

Danny Simpson insists Leicester can shock City and warned the champions to prepare for a fight.

The right-back believes the Foxes can use home advantage to end their 10-game winless run in stunning fashion.

Leicester are bottom and have not won since beating Manchester United 5-3 in September but Simpson believes they are up for the challenge.

He said: "I can't imagine anyone expecting us to get anything out of the game. We have to get into them, it doesn't matter who they are.

"They are coming to our place, I'm sure the fans will be up for it, especially seeing the likes of the City players coming to the King Power and we have to use it to our advantage.

"The effort and commitment is there, I don't think anyone can question that. We move onto the next one, we don't dwell on it and kick on.

"We will keep working hard and preparing for the next one. We're not dwelling on our form or what happened in the last game."

Simpson hopes to retain his place after making his full debut in their 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa on Sunday.

He replaced the ill Ritchie de Laet, who is expected to be fit again, and wants to cement his place in the side after only previously playing 26 minutes this season.

"I was buzzing, it's been a long wait. Considering I had not played for a while I felt pretty good. I will always give my best for the team and do a job," said the 27-year-old, who joined from QPR in the summer.

"The guys have been managing me well, I've been doing extra running but nothing ever compares to match fitness. It's a squad game and you have to come in and do your best."

Leicester were rocked on Thursday after goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel was ruled out for at least six weeks with a broken metatarsal. Ben Hamer will deputise in goal at the weekend.

Captain Wes Morgan returns from suspension, fellow defender Ritchie De Laet is available after illness and leading scorer Leonardo Ulloa (leg) is fit again for the Foxes.


http://www.espnfc.com/barclays-premier-league/match/395782/leicester-city-manchester-city/preview

Nairaland

seun!mukina2

hun

Hate dem all,Man United all d way

Prophecy Prophecy Prophecy, while i was in a vision, i saw a team wearing **** winning the match. The vision was so clear that i had to watch it in spirit. Uptil now, i am still asking for a clearer picture of this prophecy, but all i see is "**** winning and winning." I really don't know the name of the club now but if you sow a seed that will provoke the anointing then i will enter the spirit again.If this prophecy is true for your life, let me see you likes down...

city all d way

manshitty lose

Three points in d bag

Ok

MCFC would smash them.

MCFC would smash them.

moderatorr:
I support manchester

MCFC would smash them.

Kompany and Yaya back in the squad

yaya goals please

...with Silva starting,they've got no chance,this aint United!

Leicester defeat united . .can they do that here

Fat frank starts

GAME ON!

david silva . .already letting everyone know he is back

Keeping it fixed, i really wanna know the outcome

mangala is so overrated

argh cambiasso

vardy arghhhh

cllichy please be injured

chai sagna 5th appearance

silva and fat frank , excellent 1-2 pass there

Yaya whyyyyyy!!!!!

poor freekick cambiasso

choi cambiassioooo that almost went in