Phil Foden to Return to Starting XI and Kevin De Bruyne to Keep Place - Predicted XI: Man City vs Leicester City (Premier League)

City will spend Christmas day at the top of the Premier League table, and know that wins against both Leicester and Brentford will see them enter the new year as league leaders.

Ruben Dias, Joao Cancelo, Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling were all on the scoresheet last weekend, as Manchester City thumped a relegation threatened Newcastle side at St James' Park. 

The win, which came just days after the 7-0 thrashing of Leeds, was City's eighth straight victory in the Premier League - a lead Pep Guardiola's side are looking to extend when they face Leicester on Saturday. 

The Foxes played their first game in over ten days on Wednesday night, as Brendan Rodgers side were dumped out of the Carabao Cup on penalties, after throwing away a 3-1 lead against Liverpool at Anfield. 

Leicester suffered a 1-0 loss at the King Power when Manchester City visited in September, after previously beating the Blues a month earlier, at Wembley in the Community Shield. 

Ahead of Sunday's Boxing Day fixture, here is how we expect Manchester City to set-up against Leicester at the Etihad Stadium!

Predicted XI

Ederson has five clean sheets in nine appearances against Leicester, and the Brazilian goalkeeper is set to make his 215th Manchester City start on Boxing Day at the Etihad.

Kyle Walker has been absent since his sending off against RB Leipzig in the Champions League at the start of the month, but one hopes to see the England right-back return to the starting eleven on Sunday, in an attempt to nullify the Leicester counter-attacks which have been so dangerous in the past. 

Despite registering an assist and scoring a wonderful goal to mark his 100th appearance last weekend from right-back, Joao Cancelo can expect to switch back to the opposite flank and start at left-back. 

Ruben Dias was signed in the aftermath of the disastrous defeat to Leicester last season, and the 24 year-old can expect to start on Sunday. Alongside the Portugal defender in central defence will be John Stones, who would be making his 150th start.

Rodri is one of a number of Manchester City players who are just one yellow card away from suspension, but the Spanish holding midfielder is still expected to start on Sunday having become integral to Guardiola's side this season. The 25 year-old has started 21 of City's 27 matches already this season. 

In September, Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan were metronomic against the Foxes, and given the form of the midfield pair, both can expect to be handed starts on this weekend. 

The inclusion of both Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan means that Kevin De Bruyne will occupy the false nine role on Sunday, with the Belgian looking back to his best against both Leeds and Newcastle last week. 

Either side of De Bruyne will firstly be Phil Foden, who will start out-wide, as the 21 year-old returns to first eleven after being dropped for the visit to St James' Park after Pep Guardiola was reportedly left unimpressed by the conduct of both Foden and Jack Grealish. 

On the opposite flank, Raheem Sterling will hope his recent form will help improve his poor record against Leicester, with the forward having scored just one goal in 13 appearances against the Foxes in his City career so far. 

Predicted XI: Ederson; Kyle Walker, Ruben Dias, John Stones, Joao Cancelo; Rodri, Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva; Phil Foden, Kevin De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling.  

Substitutes: Zack Steffen, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Aymeric Laporte, Nathan Ake, Fernandinho, Jack Grealish, Riyad Mahrez, Gabriel Jesus, Cole Palmer.