Leicester are four points from safety and haven't won in 10 games since beating Manchester United 5-3 in September. Can they do the Manchester double and beat City as well?

Here's what Foxes boss Nigel Pearson thinks: "I don't see any mileage thinking, 'what's the point?' If I start thinking like that I might as well finish.

"I remain Mr Realistic, I will always try to reflect and assess where we're at based on our capabilities and what we need."

He adds: "I'm looking for us to perform as well as we can, for the players to give themselves the best chance of winning the game. We're here to play against the big sides."

BBC Radio 5 live

Image source, Getty Images

Joey Barton has come to the defence of Nigel Pearson after he was charged by the FA for arguing with one of his own fans, but the QPR midfielder has suggested a lack of goals could cost the Leicester manager.

"If you've got a goalscorer, that gives you a hell of a chance," Barton said. "We've got one in Charlie Austin. Burnley have, too, in Danny Ings. But I don't know if Leicester do.

"But to think that less than 15 games in they're calling for Nigel's head . . . he did incredible to get them up and he's a really good man.

"The real difficulty for me is people goading you trying to make a name for themselves and no doubt the guy at Leicester has had his moment in the spotlight after that. If he was a proper fan, he wouldn't want to cause his team this grief."

BBC Sport pundit Robbie Savage: "Manchester City will definitely miss Sergio Aguero over the next few weeks, but his absence should not prove as damaging to their title bid as people might think.

"The first reason for that is the run of fixtures that City face without their injured star striker are all winnable, and the second is how well they did without him when they were champions last season - when they actually had a better winning record when he was not in the side.

"On top of that, City already showed with their brilliant Champions League win over Roma that any talk they are a one-man team is ridiculous."

Image source, Reuters

Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero's injury against Everton last week had some fearing the worst for his side.

The Argentine, who is the Premier League's top scorer with 14 goals, was claimed by some to be City's one-man team and his absence for between four and six weeks was set to be a major setback for the side.

But Manuel Pellegrini's side beat Roma in midweek to scrape through to the last 16 of the Champions League and will be out to prove they are more than just Aguero-fuelled against Leicester today.

BBC Radio 5 live

We're teaming up with the Danny Baker Show on BBC Radio 5 live, as we usually do of a Saturday morning. Tell both him and us how far is TOO far to go in supporting your team:

Chris in Stirling: Asked for a local restaurant's wifi password to watch Dinamo Zagreb v Celtic on my phone while on my Uni course's Christmas night out.

B from Manchester: I didn't go to my friend's wedding, saying I was ill... only to be seen on TV at Wembley when City beat United!

Not quite full of festive cheer that night, Chris?

So, did you once offer to mow the lawns of all your neighbours so you could secretly enjoy the Milk Cup final on your portable radio? Or did you stand for two hours watching the Champions League in the televisions section of your local supermarket?

Send in your stories about what you consider a step too far in the life of a supporter by using #bbcfootball, external on Twitter or via text on 81111. And listen to The Danny Baker Show by hitting the live coverage tab at the top of the page.

Image source, Getty Images

Cristiano Ronaldo might not have had his greatest game but the Real Madrid forward just cannot stop scoring goals. He grabbed a late double in a 4-1 win at Almeria on Friday night to take his tally to 25 goals in 14 La Liga games this season. Unbelievable.

Gareth Bale and Isco were also on the scoresheet for the Bernabeu outfit, who reeled off 20th victory in a row in all competitions.

Real have won every match since 13 September and are four off the world record of Brazilians Coritiba in 2011.

Conor McNamara
BBC commentator

Crunchy, frosty surface on the pitch at The Riverside.

Image source, ‏@ConorMcNamaraIE

Image source, Daily Star

There's a couple of interesting transfer stories in the Daily Star. The first concerns Manchester City and manager Manuel Pellegrini's search for a striker is set to lead to a £20m move for Newcastle forward Papiss Cisse., external

Liverpool are also after a forward and they could make a shock move to sign former Reds striker Fernando Torres, 30,, external who is on loan at AC Milan from Chelsea.

BBC Radio 5 live

We're teaming up with the Danny Baker Show on BBC Radio 5 live, as we usually do of a Saturday morning. Tell both him and us how far is TOO far to go in supporting your team:

Cam Olive:, external On holiday with no TV, my Dad and I shamelessly gatecrashed a stranger's wedding reception in order to watch the World Cup final.

Ashley Waters:, external Rearranging a date with my girlfriend - and also asking her to babysit my sister - while going to watch Spurs v Rubin Kazan.

Your then-girlfriend, Ashley? Or still your current one? She's one tolerant woman, if it's the latter...

Keep 'em coming, folks. Did you sneak in a radio to listen to when you should have been enjoying a science lesson? Did you hitchhike hundreds of miles for a meaningless friendly? Have you planted your flower bed the colours of your side's 1976 cup-winning kit?

Send in your stories about what you consider a step too far in the life of a supporter by using #bbcfootball, external on Twitter or via text on 81111. And listen to The Danny Baker Show by hitting the live coverage tab at the top of the page.

BBC Radio 5 live

Image source, Getty Images

Sean Dyche and John Hartson have both praised the performances of Wayne Rooney since he was appointed Manchester United captain by Louis van Gaal in the summer.

"Van Gaal seems to have given Wayne his confidence back and he's trying things again and that's when he's at his best," Hartson said. "Leading is not about head-butting walls and grabbing people by the neck - it is about going out and doing it."

Burnley manager Dyche added: "Players mature on and off the pitch, don't forget. They form opinions and star to believe in them - it's a natural thing. Some are more at ease with it than others and he seems the type who has ideas on how the game is played."

BBC Radio 5 live

Image source, Getty Images

The notion that Brendan Rodgers has credit in the bank after leading Liverpool to second place in the Premier League last term holds little currency with Joey Barton. The QPR midfielder was scathing in his criticism of the Anfield manager, in particular his recruitment.

"Brendan has to take the responsibility as the manager because he had a lot of input into transfers but has come up short," Barton said. "The reality is he will get time after the freak season they had last season - and make no mistake it was a freak season with having no midweek commitments and one of the best players in the world at the top of his game.

"But how can you sell Luis Suarez and replace him with Mario Balotelli? Brendan knew how big the void was - 30 goals - and no disrespect to Rickie Lambert, but he should not be starting for Liverpool. And as for Balotelli, nobody else would touch him. We probably wouldn't at QPR.

"Liverpool spent £116m in the summer and you can't just be a decent side having spent that amount of money. They haven't evolved and are still reliant on Steven Gerrard. I mean, Philippe Coutinho and Adam Lallana didn't get on the pitch against Basel the other day in a game they had to win... the fans are at their wits end."

Conor McNamara
BBC commentator

At a freezing, sparking Riverside. Middlesbrough v Derby commentary with Steve Harper at 12:15 on BBC Radio 5 live.

Image source, ‏@ConorMcNamaraIE

Image source, Daily Mirror

The Daily Mirror has a story about Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren,, external claiming that he could be on his way out of the club, with his team-mates apparently having lost confidence in the ability of the £20m-signing from Southampton.

Former Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish,, external in his column for the Daily Mirror, says current Reds manager Brendan Rodgers should take inspiration from Alan Pardew and Sam Allardyce in the way they have improved fortunes at Newcastle and West Ham respectively.

Ahead of the game against Manchester United on Sunday, he says: "If Liverpool can pull off a win at Old Trafford, they will only be four points behind United.

"Suddenly, they would be right back in the mix and their morale would get a huge boost.

"It's perfectly possible. United rode their luck when they won at Arsenal a few weeks ago and got fortunate again when they beat Southampton last Monday."

BBC Radio 5 live

It's our traditional teaming-up with the Danny Baker Show on BBC Radio 5 live. Tell us, and him, how far is TOO far to go in supporting your team:

Samuel Harvey:, external Made a little trip to Wembley to watch Yeovil Town in the 2013 play-off final... just a day before my first major exams!

That's the sort of stuff, Samuel. More of that sort of thing, people. Did you name your first-born after your club's star number nine? Does your family car come with its own personalised football-themed number plate? Is your bedding the colours of your side's away kit?

Send in your stories about what you consider a step too far in the life of a supporter by using #bbcfootball, external on Twitter or via text on 81111. And listen to The Danny Baker Show by hitting the live coverage tab at the top of the page.

Image source, Getty Images

The Daily Mail has also been digging some dirt on Roy Keane's departure from Aston Villa, external and it does not make pretty reading. Apparently, the former Manchester United captain and Republic of Ireland assistant manager managed to ruffle more than a few feathers among the Villa playing staff during his time as assistant to boss Paul Lambert.

Keane, the piece says, created a "poisonous atmosphere" at the club and a clash with villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor proved the final straw and led to his departure.

Image source, Daily Mail

The Daily Mail has a Manchester United-centric back page,, external which goes with the headline 'Louis Van Snarl' in reference to the United boss being unhappy with some former Old Trafford players having a pop at his side.

Ex-United right-back Gary Neville has claimed United are defending like a pub team, while former Red Devils midfielder Paul Scholes believes the best young talent in Manchester will now flock to Manchester City after the opening of their new £200m training complex. However, Van Gaal has pretty much declared, "You know nothing, Neville and Scholes".

Image source, Getty Images

As Rebecca Black famously mused back in 2011, "it's Friday, Friday, gotta get down on Friday." In Black's song she contemplates numerous aspects relating to the fifth day of the week, like sittin' in back seats, eating cereal and partyin', partyin' (yeah).

What she didn't prophetically include in her ode to the day before the weekend was that for the next TV rights deal, running from August 2016, the Premier League is to make 168 live matches available per season, which is 14 more than the current 154, and these will be divided into five packages of 28 matches and two packages of 14 matches, with one of the packages including up to 10 live games per season on a Friday night. Probably because lyrically it doesn't scan quite as well as just saying fun four times.

So, what are your thoughts on top-flight football taking place on a Friday? Tell us by using #bbcfootball, external on Twitter or via text on 81111.

BBC Radio 5 live

We're teaming up with the Danny Baker Show on BBC Radio 5 live this morning. He wants you to tell him, and us, how far is TOO far to go in supporting your team:

Adam Gough:, external Valentine's Day, Sunderland away, FA Cup, 12.30 KO. Reserve team. We lost 1-0 and I made the missus go!

Oliver Beckett:, external Nothing's too much when support your club - true dedication! #COYS

Send in your stories about what you consider a step too far in the life of a supporter. It could be wearing your replica kit to an inappropriate occasion, picking a family holiday destination on the basis that your side's pre-season tour is taking place nearby, or whatever painful truths you want to tell the nation.

Tell Danny, and us, by using #bbcfootball, external on Twitter or via text on 81111. And listen to The Danny Baker Show by hitting the live coverage tab at the top of the page.

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea might have thought Frank Lampard was on the wane when they let him go last summer but the 36-year-old has turned up at their title rivals Manchester City and is having a major impact at the Etihad stadium club.

So much so, City boss Manuel Pellegrini wants to extend the midfielder's loan from MLS club New York City beyond the end of December.

"I think Frank is a very important player for us and I hope we will not have any problems for him to stay here," said Pellegrini.

"I hope we can have a decision as soon as possible."

Image source, Sun

Firstly, let's get stuck into the newspapers like you would your Christmas dinner and see what they are making a meal of. Along with that we'll also be analysing today's games and looking at some of the other stories around in our Saturday build-up.

Manchester United v Liverpool may not be taking place until Sunday, but this morning's papers are circling the fixture like a pack of hungry vultures. Most of the back pages are devoted to Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers' assertion that he remains the best man for the club, despite, as The Sun points out,, external a run of just three wins in 12, elimination from the Champions League and them currently being ninth in the Premier League.

Meanwhile, Chelsea defender John Terry is enjoying a renaissance in his career and Blues boss Jose Mourinho puts it down to the 34-year-old being - as pop star Pharrell Williams said - happy.

"The medical department and fitness coaches are working well. But the most important thing is to be happy," said Mourinho., external

"I read once a famous neurologist who said, 'We docs always say do some exercise, eat properly, be careful with salt, with protein, but we forget to tell people the most important thing. Be happy'. I think John is."