The Lowdown: Ryan Mason’s Tottenham Hotspur
Currently under the stewardship of interim manager Ryan Mason, Spurs can secure another UEFA Europa League campaign, while Brendan Rodgers’ Foxes will be aiming to seal a top four spot in the season’s finale on Filbert Way.
Ahead of the 116th competitive meeting between the two teams, LCFC.com takes a closer look at the Lilywhites, including their current squad, recent form and history...
The team
Tottenham’s attack is led by academy graduate and England captain Harry Kane, who is currently the Premier League’s top goalscorer (22) and leading assist maker (13), on course to achieve a unique double of awards with two games to play.
Kane has starred alongside inventive South Korean forward Son Heung-min, who is the league's fourth-best marksman having plundered 17 goals so far this term, and also the joint-fourth highest assist maker with 10 to his name.
Hugo Lloris, who won the 2018 FIFA World Cup with France, is Spurs' first-choice stopper, in is 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.
Full-backs Sergio Reguilón and Matt Doherty came in from Real Madrid and Wolverhampton Wanderers respectively, alongside 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 was the return of Gareth Bale, on loan from Real, seven years after the winger left Spurs to join the Spanish giants. He has arguably shown his best form in recent weeks, since Mason's arrival in the dugout, scoring a hat-trick in the recent success over Sheffield United.
The manager
Tottenham parted company with José Mourinho in April 2021, appointing former midfielder Ryan Mason as interim manager until the end of the season, becoming the Premier League’s youngest-ever manager.
Having played alongside several the current Spurs side, including Harry Kane, and assisted by former Foxes defender Chris Powell, Mason, 29, has enjoyed an impressive tenure to date.
His career began at Spurs at the age of eight, soon making his way through the youth ranks before securing his first professional contract in 2008.
His debut came as a substitute in the UEFA Europa League and Mason continued to impress, finishing the 2008/09 season as the academy’s top scorer with 29 goals in 31 games.
Sent on loan to a number of Football League clubs in order to gain more first-team experience, Mason initially joining Yeovil Town, scoring six goals in 28 league appearances while at Huish Park.
Mason would later spent three spells on loan at Championship side Doncaster Rovers, before joining Millwall on a temporary basis. Having signed a new contract at Spurs in July 2011, Mason was presented with opportunities to play for the club in between loans with Lorient and Swindon Town.
The midfielder enjoyed a breakthrough year in 2014/15 under Mauricio Pochettino. Establishing himself in the Spurs first team, Mason made his Premier League debut against North London rivals Arsenal and would go on to feature in the 2015 League Cup Final.
In 2015/16, Mason was part of an exciting young Tottenham team and even captained the side against Fiorentina in the Europa League. However, having only made eight league starts, Ryan signed for Hull City in August 2016 for a club record fee.
After a bright start to life on Humberside, his life was to change forever on 22 January, 2017, when a clash of heads with Chelsea’s Gary Cahill led to Mason suffering a fractured skull. Following successful surgery, Mason attempted a return to football, but after consultation with medical professionals, made the decision to retire in February 2018.
Joining Spurs' coaching set-up later that year, he became the head coach of the academy’s Under-19 UEFA Youth League side in 2019, before being appointed Head of Player Development for the club’s Under-17s through to Under-23s in August 2020.
Form guide
Aside from defeat in the Carabao Cup Final, Ryan Mason has overseen a good run of results in the Premier League, winning three of his first four matches.
Although they fell to a 3-1 defeat to Leeds United, Spurs have enjoyed victories over Southampton (2-1), Sheffield United (4-0) and Wolverhampton Wanderers (2-0).
Gareth Bale and Son Heung-min have particularly impressed, scoring four and three goals respectively during Mason's short tenure.
And the north London club conceded just two goals across those four top flight fixtures, ahead of a 2-1 loss against Aston Villa at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Wednesday evening.
Previous encounters
The latest meeting earlier this season ended in a 2-0 triumph for the visiting Foxes. Jamie Vardy's penalty handed his side the lead and, when a cross into the box was met by City’s No.9, Toby Alderweireld sent the ball beyond Hugo Lloris for a second time.
Leicester's first visit to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium ended in a 3-0 defeat in July 2020, however, 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 opener.
There have been a total of 115 previous meeting in all competitions, with Leicester coming out on top 37 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. Spurs also reached this season’s Carabao Cup Final, losing 1-0 to Manchester City.
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.
All times BST.