Leicester head to Old Trafford today knowing victory over Manchester United will make them arguably the most unlikely league champions in history. Claudio Ranieri has fashioned a modern day football miracle which will become complete if the Foxes take the three points they need to take the title.
But it is more than 18 years since the Foxes last won at Old Trafford and they will have to do it without top scorer Jamie Vardy after the FA banned him for an additional game for improper conduct – although his replacement Leonardo Ulloa starred in his side’s 4-0 thrashing of Swansea last Sunday.
Manchester United will not want another club winning the league on their own turf when they are so used to lifting the trophy themselves and have shown a recent improvement in form, which has seen them book their place in the FA Cup final and cling onto hopes of muscling in on the top four and in the process qualify for the Champions League next season.
United will be brimming with confidence after booking an FA Cup final place with a last-gasp Anthony Martial winner against Everton at Wembley last weekend.
Beating the leaders could play an important role in boosting their chances of qualifying for Europe, with Manchester City and Arsenal, third and fourth respectively and five points clear, still to face each another.
Louis van Gaal has no fresh injury concerns. Only Bastian Schweinsteiger and Luke Shaw remain sidelined. The Dutchman hinted that the England defender has an outside chance of playing in the FA Cup final against Crystal Palace on May 21 during his pre-match press conference.
Shaw has been sidelined since September after he suffered a double fracture of the right leg in United’s Champions League group stage defeat to PSV Eindhoven.
Vardy remains banned for the Foxes after the England star was handed an additional one-match ban by the Football Association following his reaction to referee Jon Moss after he was sent off in the 2-2 draw with West Ham this month.
Leicester City have now won 22 league games this season – their highest tally in a top-flight season, overtaking both 1928-29 and 1965-66.
Coming in to this matchday, Riyad Mahrez is the only player to have reached double figures for both goals (17) and assists (11) in the Premier League this season.
Wayne Rooney has currently scored 99 Premier League goals at Old Trafford – the only player to have scored 100+ at a single ground in the competition is Thierry Henry at Highbury (114).
If they win this match, Leicester City will become the first team to win their first top-flight league title in England since Nottingham Forest in 1977-78. They would become the 24th different team to win the English top-flight league title, doing so against the team that has won the most top-flight titles in England (Manchester United – 20).
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