Mike Minay
BBC Radio Manchester

Feels like it’s been a long time since I’ve felt a sense of importance around a Manchester City v West Ham game at Etihad Stadium. But that’s different this weekend.

West Ham are riding high and have beaten the Blues once this season already - becoming the first side in five years to defeat them in the League Cup.

City have been a hit by a minor injury spell of late, although Phil Foden playing last week and resting in midweek should see him OK. There’ll be no Kevin de Bruyne and Jack Grealish is touch and go.

However, Pep Guardiola's men have put in some really dominant displays recently against Manchester United, Everton and PSG. There's no reason why they can't again on Saturday.

I’ll be alongside former City midfielder Paul Lake for this one on BBC Radio Manchester.

Simon Stone
BBC Sport at the Etihad Stadium

It's not quite Burnley levels but there is snow on the pitch and it is still falling at the Etihad Stadium.

It's going to be a cold one.

Image source, BBC Sport

Michael Emons
BBC Sport at The King Power Stadium

Image source, BBC Sport

Brendan Rodgers has already guided Leicester to their first ever FA Cup victory, after Youri Tielemans’ goal gave them a 1-0 Wembley win over Chelsea in May.

And earlier this week, Rodgers paid tribute to the man in the opposition dugout today, Claudio Ranieri, who also put some silverware in the Foxes’ trophy cabinet.

“As well as winning the Premier League, Claudio’s legacy will be the feeling the team gave the supporters,” said Rodgers.

“Not just supporters of Leicester City, but fans all over the world - it gave people hope that anything was possible. That story is iconic and Claudio has a bond here forever.

“He will come here to try and get the result, but the supporters will always be eternally grateful for everything he did that season. It was a brilliant managerial job he did alongside the players who were exceptional and played at a really high level all season.”

Image source, BBC Sport

• Leicester have lost just one of their last 12 home league games against Watford (W9 D2), a 2-1 defeat in April 2013 in the Championship. The Foxes have won each of their last five games by an aggregate score of 11-1.
• Watford have never previously kept a clean sheet in 20 top-flight meetings with Leicester – it’s the most one team has faced another in top-flight history while conceding in every match.
• Four of the last five Premier League fixtures between Leicester and Watford have seen a goal scored in the 90th minute (5 in total). In the one game in this run where there was no 90th minute goal, a player was sent off in the final minute instead.

Image source, BBC Sport

• Leicester have lost their past two Premier League home games by an aggregate score of 5-0. The last time they lost three consecutive home league games without scoring was September 1983.
• Only Norwich City have scored the opening goal in fewer Premier League games than Watford this season. However, the Hornets have gone on to win all three games in which they’ve scored first.
• Though they’ve failed to score in seven league games this season (a joint high), only six sides have scored more goals than Watford (16) so far.

You have to feel for these guys...

Image source, Getty Images

Watford boss Claudio Ranieri is expecting an afternoon of "big emotion" when he returns to Leicester City for the first time on Sunday.

The Italian hasn't taken a team back to King Power Stadium since his sacking nine months after leading the Foxes to the Premier League title in 2016.

He said he wanted to "thank the Leicester fans once again" for their support during his time there - but that "I want to write new things here in Watford".

“Always this Premier League (title) will be in my heart during all my life,” said Ranieri.

“The job gave to me good emotion and I am very proud to be part of Leicester’s fairytale and history, very happy.

“It will be a big emotion from the beginning and after the match, during the match I know I am an opponent and I try to do my best.”

Geoff Doyle
BBC Three Counties Radio sport

After Watford trounced Everton 5-2 at Goodison Park a month ago the hope among Hornets fans was that it would herald the start of a fresh and improved life under Claudio Ranieri. But supporters were brought crashing back down to earth the following week with the dismal home defeat by Southampton.

So Watford need to back up last week's excellent win against Manchester United - to go and prove that they can produce that type of performance on a more regular basis.

Ranieri talks about getting the performance as much as he talks about getting the points and you can understand why. He wants and needs consistency in order to stay up.

Already his tactical astuteness is becoming apparent, not that it was ever likely to be in question considering his history. The victory against United was coach-led. The high, first-half press had been worked on all week and the players executed the plan to perfection.

Watford possess young, quick forwards with vast attacking talent. But Ranieri will probably be working just as much on their defensive play in order to implement his tactical system. Regular sprint pressing backed up by similar stuff from an industrial midfield three meant the Hornets comfortably won the transition battle against Nemanja Matic and co.

The signs were positive at Vicarage Road. Can they repeat it at Leicester where all the focus will be on the iconic Ranieri? His players will need to concentrate on the job in hand rather than the fanfare around the return of the legendary former Foxes boss.

Michael Emons
BBC Sport at The King Power Stadium

Image source, BBC Sport

It promises to be an emotional day at the King Power Stadium as Claudio Ranieri will be in the opposing dugout for the first time since guiding Leicester to a memorable Premier League title in 2015-16.

He has won two of his first five games in charge of Watford and has already said he will be fighting back the tears before the game today.

“Claudio will get, and deservedly so, a great welcome,” said Chris Forryan of Leicester Till I Die., external

“I’m sure before the game gets under way we will hear chants of ‘Claudio’ and ‘He came from Italy’. Yes, Brendan has won us the FA Cup and that was amazing, but the Premier League title? I mean, come on, can you still believe it?

“For that season we were everyone’s second favourite team (apart from Spurs fans of course) but my biggest memory was being there when Wes Morgan lifted the trophy, hugging a stranger sat next to me and us both having tears in our eyes. Unforgettable.”

Simon Stone
BBC Sport at the Etihad Stadium

The return of Aymeric Laporte to central defence for Manchester City just highlights the strength of Pep Guardiola's squad.

This is the first of three lots of three games in a week that end when the New Year's Day fixtures are played.

That's nine matches - almost a quarter of the season, played in five weeks.

Laporte is one of the best central defenders in the world - and he is a back-up.

This tends to be when the bigger sides start to exert their authority on the Premier League.

It will be interesting to see whether West Ham, who are still in the EFL Cup, can maintain their top four spot.

Burnley

Burnley manager Sean Dyche: "As you can see the pitch re-covers every time they clear it.

"The referee explained the safety angle as well so it was important to make a decision early.

"It fell that quick and that heavy. It's still quite strong now. [The pitch] can't get rid of the snow that quick.

"It's the lines being cleared as well - we would have to stop and clear them. It's a joint decision with everyone concerned.

"We were ready for the game and I made it clear if it could be played we wanted it on - as did their manager.

"I can't see how it could go ahead the way the pitch is at the moment."

Leicester are another team that could do with a win, having not done so in any of their last three. They're firmly mid-table as it stands, which is well short of their efforts of the previous two seasons.

Same with Everton, who are on a stinking run of form after their positive start.

Meanwhile, at the bottom, a loss for Newcastle and draws for Nowich and Leeds on Saturday means Burnley can potentially achieve a big win today. If they do so by two or more goals they'll be out of the bottom three at Leeds' expense.

Watford and Brentford will also be looking to pull themselves further away from the pack in peril.

As regards Manchester United's situation today, they obviously want a win at Stamford Bridge this afternoon, which will hugely boost their pursuit of the top four.

Failing that - and let's be honest, Chelsea are favourites - they probably want Manchester City to beat West Ham, as difficult as that may be to stomach. If the gap between United and the top four goes to nine points, it is already starting to look like a mighty big challenge to battle their way back in, even with Ralf Rangnick in charge.

Tottenham are two points better off than United and a win today will keep them in the hunt. More than that, though, they could really do with a positive display to try and wash away the after taste of that Europa Conference League loss at Mura on Thursday. More on that in a bit.

Sad to lose a game, but at least we have three others at 2pm to soften the blow.

Frustrating one that for the Burnley and Tottenham players, officials and fans who made the journey.

Not much anyone can do, though. The snow continues to bucket down there, the ground staff were fighting a losing battle from the off. There's safety to think of.

The Burnley game has not made it. Too much snow falling all morning.