Manchester City 1-3 Leicester City: Barclays Premier League as it happened

Well, it's safe to say that certainly lived up to the pre-match hype. Leicester's fairytale season continues and they move one win closer to what would surely be considered as one of the greatest title shocks that English football has seen in decades. A long way to go yet, however.

That is all for this particular blog, but our coverage of the Premier League continues throughout the afternoon with live updates from Tottenham vs Watford and Liverpool's clash with Sunderland in addition to the other four 15.00 GMT kick-offs.

Full-time

Manchester City 1-3 Leicester

City rally in stoppage time but they just cannot force a second. The final whistle sounds...

Needlessly nervous stuff from the leaders as a panicky sequence deep in their own half ends with a woeful back-pass from Simpson towards Schmeichel.

Aguero seizes possession in the penalty area and looks to round Hart before firing into the side netting. He really ought to have looked for a pass there.

Surely nothing more than a consolation goal for City as Aguero takes his tally for the season to 14 by expertly glancing Otamendi's cross from the right beyond Hart. Questions of offside there, although it certainly looked tight with Fuchs sitting slightly deeper than his Leicester colleagues.

Four minutes of stoppage time to play.

Goal: Manchester City 1-3 Leicester (Sergio Aguero)

A final change from Leicester sees Nathan Dyer replace Albrighton.

A couple of potshots from Aguero, but the first is blocked and the second is straight at Schmeichel.

Ranieri has made his first two changes of the match, replacing Mahrez with January signing Demarai Gray. Leonardo Ulloa is also on for Okazaki, while City introduce 19-year-old midfielder Bersant Celina at the expense of Silva.

Less than 10 minutes remaining now.

Leicester are still doing all the running as Fuchs receives possession from a short corner and crosses to the near post, where Vardy produces a glancing header that drifts across the face of goal and wide.

Fernando petulantly collects a caution for preventing a free-kick from being taken quickly.

Leicester are rampant as Drinkwater releases Vardy in behind Demichelis with an exquisite lofted pass. The England forward takes a touch but Hart races out to prevent his side conceding a fourth goal.

Zabaleta becomes the first City player yellow carded after tripping Okazaki.

Unbelievably, Leicester strike yet again as Vardy shows great pace to flick the ball beyond Zabaleta before firing a low pass towards Okazaki that is turned behind by a good challenge from Demichelis.

From the resulting corner, Fuchs produces a looping delivery that Huth, climbing above Demichelis with Morgan in close proximity, heads up and beyond Hart into the top corner.

What is happening?!

Goal: Manchester City 0-3 Leicester (Robert Huth)

Fernandinho went close with a header before that double change and Okazaki forced Hart into a save after a pinpoint cross from Drinkwater.

Schmeichel has also shown tremendous reflexes to deny Fernando from almost point-blank range after the substitute tried to head towards goal but saw the ball deflect off his shoulder.

If he had made proper contact, that would surely have been 2-1.

City react decisively to that second setback as Pellegrini sends on Fernando and Iheanacho in place of Toure and Delph.

Just as they did in the first half, Leicester strike early and it's simply magical from Mahrez for his 15th goal of the season.

With City pushing for an equaliser, the visitors break quickly through the tireless N'Golo Kante and the French midfielder powers forward before finding Mahrez. The latter then skips over an ill-advised sliding challenge from Otamendi before selling a step over and cutting inside past Demichelis before rifling an effort towards the near post that beats Hart all ends up.

Goal: Manchester City 0-2 Leicester (Riyad Mahrez)

A second defensive caution for the Foxes, with Simpson booked for hauling down Sterling as he looked to break down the left flank.

We are back underway in Manchester. No changes from either manager at the break.

Can Leicester hold on to go six points clear at the top of the Premier League?

After causing plenty of problems and edging in front during a breathless opening, Leicester have dug in towards the end of that first half and you feel it will take something special from City to break down their dogged resistance and avoid getting hit by the likes of Mahrez and Vardy on the counter.

Huth has been colossal for the visitors at both ends, although his goal may yet be attributed to Demichelis. City might have had two penalties on a different day, but Fuchs's challenge on Zabaleta was deemed to have taken place just outside the area and Albrighton was not punished for a slight barge on Fernandinho.

Half-time

Manchester City 0-1 Leicester

Leicester maintain their resolute defensive discipline to half-time as Sterling forces yet another corner that comes to nothing. That will do it for now.

Schmeichel punches clear a corner but it's great play from Aguero to keep the attack alive and play a dangerous low ball across the face of the six-yard box.

Fortunately for Leicester, there are no sky blue shirts there to meet it and they eventually survive as Kolarov fires a left-footed shot wide from a tricky angle.

Three minutes of added time signalled by the fourth official.

We've had a bit of a delay towards the end of the first 45 as a groggy Fernandinho receives treatment following a blow to the head.

An incisive passing move then ends with Kolarov's ball being deflected behind.

Another corner for City as Danny Simpson blocks Silva's cross. The hosts then appeal again for a spot-kick after Fernandinho tumbles under a slight barge from Albrighton but Taylor is not having any of it.

Good decision.

A first yellow card of the afternoon is awarded to Morgan after the Leicester skipper comes through the back of Aguero as he looked to collect a low pass from Silva.

10 minutes plus stoppage time remaining in the first half.

A wild long-range shot from Kolarov draws sighs of exasperation from many inside the Etihad. At the other end, Albrighton looks to pick out Vardy with another searching cross but Hart gathers.

Confident goalkeeping from Schmeichel to hold a powerful low drive from Aguero after the latter had received possession on the corner of the box and used his speed and close control to avoid the attention of Fuchs.

The hosts are beginning to settle now and it takes another vital intervention from the rock solid Huth to stop Aguero from claiming a free header in the six-yard box.

A clever pass from Sterling towards Silva then finds Yaya Toure near the byline, but the Ivorian midfielder snatches his shot over the crossbar.

A nervy moment for Christian Fuchs as he trips Zabaleta and concedes a free-kick in a dangerous position. The City players are furious as they feel the foul occurred inside the penalty area.

Kolarov whips the ball in towards the front post but it's strong defending from Huth to clear the initial delivery and from the subsequent corner.

City are looking extremely frail defensively as Mahrez sweeps a lovely ball out to Vardy and the in-form striker takes on Otamendi before flashing a low pass into the six-yard box towards the run of Okazaki.

Demichelis just does enough to ensure that he does not get the decisive touch.

With so much hype in the build-up to this match, there was always a danger that it would not live up to its potential. That has not been the case so far, however, with the opening 20 minutes being played at a breakneck pace.

Leicester are enjoying a lot of success on the counter attack. Surely there are more goals to come.

City have had a couple of corners come to nothing, but they create their first real opening after Kolarov finds Silva with the cutback and the Spaniard weaves his way into the penalty area before prodding a low shot inches wide of Schmeichel's left-hand post.

Silva then reacts furiously when referee Taylor points for a goal kick despite the ball seeming to take a nick off the right foot of Wes Morgan on its way out.

Yet more danger for City as the excellent Mahrez plays the ball in behind for Drinkwater, but Hart quickly closes down the angle to concede a corner.

The visitors look so dangerous every time they venture forward as Albrighton's lofted diagonal pass finds Vardy, who forces Hart into a smart save.

Nicolas Otamendi, who appears to be moving rather gingerly now, then makes a great tackle to deny Shinji Okazaki a chance on the rebound.

Almost a quick chance for City to level as David Silva plays a through ball towards the run of Sterling but Kasper Schmeichel is quickly off his line to collect.

An early injury concern for Aguero after a challenge from Danny Drinkwater, but the Argentine looks fine to continue.

What an incredible start from the visitors as they take the lead within four minutes.

After Mahrez is fouled by Kolarov, the Algerian winger produces a dangerous low free-kick that Huth diverts past Hart from close range with the help of a hefty deflection off the sluggish Martin Demichelis.

Goal: Manchester City 0-1 Leicester (Robert Huth)

A typically positive start from Leicester as Joe Hart is forced to punch clear from Marc Albrighton's cross.

The tricky Riyad Mahrez then showcases his quality by coasting past Delph and Kolarov before being felled by the latter in an inviting position near the byline.

Referee Anthony Taylor gets this crucial clash underway. Can Leicester continue to defy the doubters, or will City keep up their stellar home record and regain their place at the top of the Premier League on goal difference?

We are about to find out...

Around 15 minutes remaining until kick-off now. As this statistic shows, something has to give today...

Much of the focus today will inevitably fall upon two of the Premier League's top scorers in Sergio Aguero and Vardy.

The former notched his 13th goal of the season in midweek, while Vardy - who broke Ruud van Nistelrooy's record by scoring in 11 consecutive games in 2015 - currently tops the charts with 18.

Rumours of a new contract for the England international have been rife over recent weeks, with reports suggesting that he is set to extend his deal until 2019 and agree improved terms of £80,000-per-week.

City still have a number of players in the treatment room, a problem which would appear to threaten their chances of capturing an unlikely quartet of silverware this term.

Navas is facing three weeks out with a hamstring problem sustained against Sunderland, while key playmaker Kevin de Bruyne is expected to miss 10 after damaging knee ligaments in the Capital One Cup semi-final second-leg win against Everton last month.

Samir Nasri and Wilfried Bony are also still sidelined, as is centre-back Eliaquim Mangala. Vincent Kompany finally appears to be back in training after suffering from recurring calf issues, although it is not yet clear when the skipper will be ready to make his first start since 8 November.

Ranieri, meanwhile, has named the exact same squad that beat Liverpool. Only Jeff Schlupp and long-term absentee Matty James miss out with hamstring and knee inhuries respectively.

Pellegrini has made four changes to the team that edged past Sunderland on Tuesday. Pablo Zabaleta and Aleksandar Kolarov are in at full-back, with Bacary Sagna and Gael Clichy both dropping to the bench.

Fabian Delph replaces the injured Jesus Navas, while Raheem Sterling is recalled to the starting XI in place of Kelechi Iheanacho.

Leicester: Schmeichel, Simpson, Morgan, Huth, Fuchs, Mahrez, Kante, Drinkwater, Albrighton, Okazaki, Vardy

Substitutes: Schwarzer, King, Gray, Ulloa, Dyer, Wasilewski, Chilwell

Manchester City: Hart, Zabaleta, Otamendi, Demichelis, Kolarov, Toure, Fernandinho, Silva, Delph, Sterling, Aguero

Substitutes: Caballero, Clichy, Sagna, A.Garcia, Fernando, Celina, Iheanacho

Team news is on its way...

Taking on the might of Manchester City in their own back yard will be no easy feat, however.

While the announcement that Pep Guardiola will succeed Manuel Pellegrini as manager in July has the potential to derail their title bid this season, the two-time Premier League winners have emerged victorious from seven of their last eight fixtures at the Etihad and have not tasted defeat in the top-flight since early December.

When you add in the fact that Leicester have not beaten City for almost 13 years, then the odds are certainly stacked against the visitors.

Where have we heard that one before?

They couldn't really do it... could they?

Every time supporters and pundits alike have cast doubt upon Leicester's ability to continue such an incredible campaign, Claudio Ranieri's confident side have outrightly refused to wilt.

Since dropping points at Aston Villa in mid-January, the Foxes exited the FA Cup at the third-round stage before keeping their league challenge alive with a comprehensive 3-0 defeat of Stoke.

They were expected to face another significant test against Liverpool in midweek, but a brace from Jamie Vardy - including an exquisite 30-yard effort that left Simon Mignolet flabbergasted - secured a 2-0 win at the King Power Stadium.

Good morning and welcome to IBTimes UK's live coverage of what is arguably the most pivotal Premier League clash of the 2015/16 season to date as surprise leaders Leicester put their title credentials to the ultimate test and look to open up a six-point gap on nearest challengers Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.

Kick-off for this one is at 12.45 GMT, so stay tuned for all the breaking team news in addition to confirmed line-ups and live updates throughout the afternoon.

This should be fascinating.