How do Leicester City stop Erling Haaland and Manchester City?
Even the highest paid and highly respected managers in the world can’t figure out this question!
I fully expect us to lose but hoping we can at least give them a game. I don’t see how we keep a clean sheet in this one so for me it’s less about stopping them and more how we can attack them.
We have to be brave and commit to our counter attacks - I think KDH’s engine and Barnes’ running power are our best routes forward.
If we can keep up our 90% average conversion rate over the last couple of games as well that will help…
Chloe Dexter
I don't think you can stop him. He's a generational talent at the very top of his game. If he gets chances, he'll put them away.
Therefore, the only way to stop him is to cut the supply lines. This isn't easy either with the top class talent in their squad, but it's the only way to make a game of it.
Across 2019 to 2021, we were able to go toe-to-toe with 'the big teams' and play them as equals. However, since the Community Shield, this approach has led to us taking some severe beatings for the most part. We've made it too easy for the big teams and given them a lovely day out.
I want to see us make it difficult, defend for our lives and then use the quality we have to create a few chances for ourselves.
Iain Wright
After the BVB game, it looks like he might have a foot problem and a fever so fingers crossed he's unavailable. Unfortunately, they've still got the likes of Alvarez, De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Mahrez, Foden and Grealish as the supporting cast!
If he does play, I'd like to think we'll go all Argentinian and take it in turns to foul him, or Amartey takes an early red card and kicks him up in the air!
Given it's not the 1990s anymore and we have VAR, I think sitting deep and having all 11 behind the ball is our only hope.
Copenhagen, Liverpool and BVB have all managed to keep them out with a combination of missed penalties and a bit of luck and while I appreciate they are all better sides than us, we might just be able to keep our run of clean sheets going.
I'm slightly more confident about Saturday than we would have been four or five games ago and we don't have the worst home record against Man City, plus with us you just never know which City is going to turn up (probably both of them - Ed).
Jordan Halford
If the rumours and in the know people are right then seemingly the cold/flu doing the rounds is enough to temporarily stop Haaland. It's both a blessing and a curse as it would have been great to see such a talent in front of us at the King Power, but I also had images of him turning Daniel Amartey and setting off at breakneck pace to slot past Danny Ward.
Manchester City are still a terrifying prospect even without Haaland but we can take some comfort in their defensive frailties this season. I fancy our chances to score against them based on the form over the last week, so then it's how we balance our attack with stopping them countering or building to allow Kevin De Bruyne to do what he does best.
For me, keeping the balance in the team (and actually having a player occupying the right side in front of Timothy Castagne) like we got against Leeds and in the second half at Wolves is key. It'll help deal with their attacking fullbacks (assuming Cancelo could still play).
Games against Man City so often seem like a toss of a coin in the air whether we can give them a game or if it's going to be a one sided affair.
Helen Thompson
It seems as though Erling Haaland might miss the game on Saturday with talks of a foot injury and a bit of illness, but we all know it's from fear of coming up against Big Dan Amartey. This is great news as the real answer is you don't stop Erling Haaland - he's ridiculous.
The positive for us is we've started to remember how to defend and a key aspect of having any chance of stopping Manchester City is players being on their game, particularly defensively, as we'll always get chances.
We simply cannot afford silly mistakes we've been prone to all season, even in the positive results. Manchester City are too good and will punish those, where teams like Forest, Leeds and Wolves didn't.
I'd also probably allow Wilfred Ndidi to come back in, if he's fit (not Brendan fit) because although he's been horribly off-form, Saturday needs ball-winning and breaking up play which is his speciality. He struggles when he's got more time on the ball and has to think about a pass which he won't have on Saturday.
From expecting the 9-0 barrier to be broken against us, it seems most people are actually looking forward to Saturday now.
Becky Taylor
