The Lowdown: José Mourinho's Counter-Attacking Spurs
The Premier League clash at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium sees two of the top four go head-to-head after midweek defeats to Merseyside opponents, with Spurs beaten away at Liverpool and City defeated by Everton.
Ahead of the 115th competitive meeting between the two teams, LCFC.com takes a closer look at the Foxes' opponents, including their squad, current form and upcoming fixtures...
The Team
Tottenham’s attack is led by Harry Kane, who has progressed through their academy set-up to become England's captain, and is on nine goals and 10 assists in the Premier League this season. Kane stars alongside Son Heung-min, who is the league's joint-top scorer with 11 goals this term.
Hugo Lloris, who won the 2018 FIFA World Cup with France, is Spurs' first-choice stopper, in nets behind the likes of Serge Aurier, Davinson Sánchez and Toby Alderweireld in defence.
In midfield, Tanguy Ndombélé is usually supported by Giovani Lo Celso, who made his loan move from Real Betis a permanent one in the summer of 2020.
José Mourinho also brought in full-backs Sergio Reguilón and Matt Doherty from Real Madrid and Wolverhampton Wanderers respectively, Swansea City centre-back Joe Rodon and midfielder Piere-Emile Höjbjerg from Southampton, while Joe Hart joined on a free transfer.
But perhaps the biggest move of the summer was the return of Gareth Bale, on loan from Real Madrid, seven years after the Welsh winger left Spurs to join the Spanish giants.
The Manager
After an understated playing career, José Mourinho has since gone on to be regarded as one of the greatest managers of the modern era, winning major honours wherever he goes.
Initially working as a translator for Sir Bobby Robson at Sporting Lisbon, Porto and Barcelona, the Setúbal-born former midfielder entered the world of management in 2000 at Benfica.
It was at Porto, though, where Mourinho truly began to make his mark, winning successive Primeira Liga titles before following up a UEFA Cup triumph with the UEFA Champions League in 2004.
English audiences had been introduced to Mourinho when his Porto side beat Manchester United and he was back in the country as Chelsea manager in 2004, replacing Claudio Ranieri.
The Blues took English football by storm and broke numerous records, winning consecutive Premier League titles, alongside two League Cup successes and one FA Cup victory before Mourinho left in 2007.
Another trophy-laden spell in Italy was next for Mourinho at Inter Milan as the iconic San Siro side won two Serie A crowns, the Coppa Italia, the Supercoppa Italiana and the Champions League.
That 2010 Champions League Final win over Bayern Munich at the Bernabéu, which secured a famous treble for the Italian outfit, ended with emotional scenes as Mourinho had decided his next destination would be Spanish giants Real Madrid.
A first La Liga title in four years ended Barcelona's dominance, while Mourinho's men also lifted the Copa Del Rey and the Supercopa de España. He was also the manager when Leicester hosted Real Madrid in a showpiece pre-season friendly in the summer of 2011 at King Power Stadium, however his tenure in the Spanish capital came to an end in 2013.
A return to Chelsea later that year eventually ended in another Premier League title, added to by the League Cup in 2015. However, Mourinho left the Blues after a loss in the following December at Leicester, who were crowned Premier League champions that year.
The Portuguese replaced Louis van Gaal at Manchester United in 2016 and finished his maiden season at Old Trafford with UEFA Europa League and League Cup wins. United finished second in 2017/18, but Mourinho left during the following season after a difficult run of form and he later replaced Mauricio Pochettino at Tottenham Hotspur in November 2019, guiding the club to a sixth place finish at the end of 2019/20.
Mourinho has a 100 per cent record in European finals and remains one of the most admired and enigmatic managers in the game.
Form guide
Before a 2-1 reverse away at Liverpool on Wednesday, which followed on from being held to a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace last weekend, Tottenham had been in stellar form.
A couple of 2-0 home victories in the north London derby and against Manchester City were sandwiched in between a goalless draw with Chelsea.
Defeat at Anfield was the north London side's first loss since 13 September (vs. Everton) - a run of 11 games unbeaten in the Premier League.
Previous encounters
Leicester's only previous visit to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium ended in a 3-0 defeat in July 2020, with three first half goals from the home side settling the contest.
It was City who came out on top in the reverse fixture at King Power Stadium in September 2019, triumphing 2-1 thanks to a late winner from James Maddison after Ricardo Pereira had cancelled out Harry Kane's equaliser.
There have been 114 previous meeting in all competitions, with Leicester coming out on top 36 times and Tottenham winning 57 encounters.
The trophy cabinet
Only Manchester United and Arsenal have won more FA Cup trophies than Tottenham, who have eight titles to their name, with their last coming in 1991.
They have lifted the League Cup on four occasions, beating Leicester in the final at Wembley Stadium in 1999, while they defeated Chelsea in 2008 for their last title. On the European front, they have claimed two UEFA Cups, in 1972 and 1984, as well as a UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in 1963. Last summer, meanwhile, Spurs were beaten by Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League Final.
Two first division titles came in 1951 and a decade later in 1961, and they have also won two second tier titles, in 1920 and 1950.
The stadium
After a spell at Wembley Stadium, following their move from White Hart Lane, Spurs played their first competitive game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium against Crystal Palace on 3 April, 2019.
They won the fixture 2-0, thanks to goals from South Korea international Son Heung-min and Denmark playmaker Christian Eriksen, who is now at Inter Milan in Italy. The official capacity of the ground is just over 62,000, boasting the third-highest of an English football club behind Old Trafford (Manchester United) and London Stadium (West Ham United).
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is regarded as one of the most lavish venues in world football and can be transformed to host NFL London Games and music concerts.
It features the world's first dividing, retractable football pitch, which reveals a synthetic turf pitch, beneath an asymmetric bowl design, including an enormous single-tier south stand.
The fixtures
Following Sunday's game, Spurs will switch their attention to a Carabao Cup Quarter-Final clash with Stoke City, which takes place at bet365 Stadium on Wednesday 23 December (5:30pm kick-off).
Back in the league, the Lilywhites take on Wolverhampton Wanderers, at Molineux Stadium, on Sunday 27 December (7:15pm kick-off), before entertaining London rivals Fulham on Wednesday 30 December (6pm kick-off).
Their first game of 2021 is set to be at home to Leeds United on Saturday 2 January (12:30pm kick-off), ahead of an FA Cup Third Round clash away at Non-League outfit Marine on Saturday 10 January (5pm kick-off).
All times GMT.