Now that Manchester United have done the decent thing and wrapped up their latest title, the Doomsday theory applied to next Saturday's derby is out of the window. So City's seasoned pessimists are grimly contemplating the second worst-case scenario: precisely when their team takes the big fall.

It will probably be not for a week at least, which could well be a good one for City's legions. No chance of defeat today - they have already got the Arsenal debacle out of the way - and the delicious prospect of the other lot limping out of Bavaria and Europe on Wednesday.

And by Saturday England's champions might be so deflated - or delighted - say Light Blue optimists, that they will just go through the motions at Old Trafford and toss a point City's way.

When put to City's manager that United would relax, Joe Royle responded: "If you ask Alex that question, you'd better duck."

Royle is more concerned that Leicester will give relegation rivals a helping hand. In the interests of equity they should oblige Derby today and Middlesbrough on Saturday just as they have Coventry and now City. Leicester are playing poorly enough to do so and this was their fifth successive defeat.

Royle, like most managers in his position, craves that "little bit of luck", which he believes has largely deserted his team this season, but was supplied here when Shaun Goater's back saw the ball rebound into Tim Flower's net from the goalkeeper's attempted punch. City almost enjoyed another dollop when Gerry Taggart's diving header, buckling the bar, almost produced a spectacular own goal.

By then City had conceded a muddled equaliser - Steve Howey having the final touch as Ade Akinbiyi attempted to jab home - before Paulo Wanchope's winner, an angled back heel.

LEICESTER: Flowers, Rowett, Elliott, Taggart, Impey, Savage, Lewis, Marshall (Davidson 69), Guppy, Gunnlaugsson (Eadie 70), Akinbiyi (Benjamin 87). Subs not used: Royce, Oakes. Booked: Rowett, Taggart. Goal: Akinbiyi 41.

MANCHESTER CITY: Nash, Charvet (Kanchelskis 45), Dunne, Howey, Granville, Whitley, Haaland, Wiekens (Grant 61), Kennedy, Wanchope, Goater (Prior 71). Subs not used: Weaver, Huckerby. Booked: Dunne, Grant, Wanchope. Goals: Goater 17, Wanchope 67.

Referee: B Knight (Orpington).