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With the international window closing, it’s time for the Manchester City Men’s side to get back to work. City went into the break with back-to-back 5-0 wins over Norwich City and Arsenal. As the Premier League starts up again, the Sky Blues are set to face Leicester City at King Power Stadium on the weekend.
The build up to matchday with the Foxes has begun, and I was lucky enough to connect with Jake Lawson with our friends over at Fosse Posse. Jake graciously agreed to answer some questions for us. So without further ado, ladies and gents, Jake Lawson.
BnB: To recap the start of the season, Leicester City have won the Community Shield over Man City, but after three games they currently sit 9th in the table. How would you assess the season so far??
JL: Our tally of six points from three matches is flattering. We didn’t exactly dominate Wolves or Norwich, and, while I have thoughts about the quality of the referee against West Ham, that doesn’t change the fact that they were miles better than we were.
I’ll take the points over the form all day, but there comes a point where you stop getting the results if the performances aren’t there. If some of our key players don’t find their rhythm on Saturday, it could be a very long afternoon for us.
BnB: Jamie Vardy has tallied 8 goals against City in the five seasons since Pep Guardiola took over. What do you think is behind his performance against the Sky Blues?
JL: There may be no striker better suited to playing against sides built on possession. At 34, some of that pace is no longer there, but he remains quick and very, very...clever...in the penalty box. The other thing you have to understand about Vardy is the degree to which he enjoys sticking it to the opposition supporters, especially those of larger clubs. He may be the player who benefits the most from having the fans back in the grounds. Wind him up at your peril.
BNB: MCFC have scored 10 goals from 8 different players over their last two matches. Who is the biggest concern for the Foxes on Saturday?
JL: Can I answer “Daniel Amartey and Çağlar Söyüncü”? We’ve already had five defenders miss matches due to injury this year and Ricardo may be the sixth on Saturday, so the state of the back line is certainly a cause for concern.
Seriously though, “10 goals from 8 different players” is always the problem when playing Manchester City. My biggest fear is De Bruyne pulling the strings against a makeshift defense and punishing every mistake. His vision and range of passing are the best on the planet. On the plus side, at least we won’t have to worry about a Vincent Kompany rocket from outside the box.
BNB: Finally, Leicester City have two of the last three matches against City including a 5-2 victory at the Etihad last season. What is your prediction for the match?
JL: If I were a betting man, my answer would be different, but I’m going to go with a 2-2 draw. It will probably feature at least one highly contentious penalty and an absurdly tight VAR call, too.
Thank you so much for reaching out to me. I have tremendous respect for Manchester City and the supporters have always been great to me. I’m expecting an entertaining game and here’s hoping for no injuries for either side.
Thanks to Jake for taking the time to speak with me. I too hope for no injuries on the day, and I’m sure we all extend our wishes for a successful season for the Foxes. After Saturday of course.
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