Manchester City will have an extra spring in their step when they travel to Leicester City on Saturday following their midweek Champions League relief.
The Citizens completed their European rescue mission as goals from Samir Nasri and Pablo Zabaleta earned them a 2-0 win in Rome and qualification for the last 16, as runners-up to Bayern Munich in Group E.
That conclusion had seemed so unlikely after their nine men suffered a home defeat to CSKA Moscow in November, but six wins in seven games since has renewed enthusiasm around the Etihad Stadium.
As well as City's relative continental success - it is only the second time in four seasons that they have progressed to the knockout stages of the Champions League - they have made up important domestic ground.
Manuel Pellegrini's side moved to within three points of Chelsea at the top of the Premier League table courtesy of their hard-fought victory over Everton last weekend, and have a good opportunity to crank up the pressure on their title rivals during a sequence of rather kind festive fixtures.
The goals of Sergio Aguero have inspired City's upturn in fortunes, with the Argentine netting seven times in six games before suffering the knee injury which will sideline him for between four and six weeks.
City triumphed at the Stadio Olimpico without Aguero, as well as Vincent Kompany and Yaya Toure, and only the latter is likely to be available for the trip to Leicester, with Kompany poised for a late fitness test.
Toure may be given licence to play further forward in support of Edin Dzeko. Fernandinho and Fernando could form an all-Brazilian rearguard as they did in Italy, where David Silva made his return from a six-week layoff.
The playmaker had 20 minutes off the bench to rehabilitate his knee, but is unlikely to be rushed back into the starting XI for a trip to a Leicester side who are bottom of the pile following a 10-match winless run.
More misery was piled on Nigel Pearson on Thursday when he was charged by the Football Association for allegedly using 'abusive' words in an exchange with a fan during the 3-1 defeat to Liverpool last week.
The Foxes boss has also lost top scorer Leonardo Ulloa, who bagged his first goal in nine games and sixth for the season in the 2-1 loss at Aston Villa, and first-choice goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel to injuries.
Schmeichel is to undergo surgery on a broken metatarsal which will see him ruled out until the New Year, and so Ben Hamer will deputise in between the sticks, starting with City's visit to the King Power Stadium.
More promising news for the Foxes is the return to fitness of ex-England defender Matthew Upson, who has not played a game for the club since joining on a free transfer from Brighton & Hove Albion in the summer.
The 35-year-old is in the squad for this weekend and would bring much-needed Premier League nous to a backline which should also include Paul Konchesky, whose red card against Villa has been overturned.
Elsewhere, Pearson may consider reinforcing the centre of the park with an extra midfielder, which gives both Andy King and Danny Drinkwater a chance of being recalled at the expense of goal-shy striker David Nugent.
The two sides have not contested a top-flight match in over 10 years, but the Citizens won 3-1 at then-Championship Leicester in a Capital One Cup quarter-final tie last December, on their way to lifting the trophy.
Leicester:
Recent form: LLDLLL
Possible starting lineup: Hamer; De Laet, Morgan, Upson, Konchesky; Mahrez, James, Cambiasso, King, Schlupp; Vardy
Man City:
Form in Premier League: WDWWWW
Form in all competitions: WWWWWW
Possible starting lineup: Hart; Zabaleta, Mangala, Demichelis, Clichy; Navas, Fernando, Fernandinho, Nasri; Toure, Dzeko
Sports Mole says: 0-2
Joe Fish
