Premier League champions Leicester City host league leaders Chelsea on Saturday (5.30pm kick-off) as both sides look to back up their FA Cup victories with three points in the league.

Claudio Ranieri’s Foxes won 2-1 at Everton in the third round last weekend to set up a last 32 clash with Midlands rivals Derby, but their attentions will turn to improving their Premier League position after a testing defence of their title thus far.

Ranieri’s side are 15th in the table having won just five of their 20 league games, yet all five of those victories have come at the King Power Stadium, where they have taken 18 of their 21 points accumulated in the league this season.

However, they come up against the side with the best away record in the form of Antonio Conte’s Chelsea, who got back to winning ways by beating Peterborough 4-1 in the FA Cup last weekend.

Prior to that, the Blues had seen their 13 match winning streak ended by Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham, a result which gave every side in the top six renewed hope that they could catch Conte’s men at the top.

Nonetheless, Chelsea are still in a great position to regain the title come May, and three points at the King Power Stadium what put them right back on track.

In what is set to be an intriguing encounter, here are the THREE key battles which could decide the outcome on Saturday…

David Luiz vs Jamie Vardy

David Luiz has been one of the best defenders in the Premier League this season, but he’ll come up against a tricky striker in Jamie Vardy on Saturday.

The England international has served his three-match ban for a red card in the Foxes’ 2-2 draw with Stoke back on December 17, and will be fit and ready to go against the Premier League leaders at the King Power Stadium.

And it will be up to Luiz to keep his discipline against the striker, who is very difficult to defend against when he’s fresh, as he’ll continue running for the whole 90 minutes, and won’t give defenders any time on the ball.

His aggression will also pose questions to Luiz, yet the Brazilian international has dealt with everything thrown at him thus far in the Premier League, and has been one of the most improved defendersthis season.

The Blues are in the unfamiliar position of going into a match having lost their last league game, so how well Luiz copes with Vardy, and thwarts his attacking instincts, will be crucial if Chelsea are to get back to winning ways.

Danny Drinkwater vs N’Golo Kante

It was the midfield partnership that helped win the league for Leicester last season, yet Danny Drinkwater and N’Golo Kante are set to face each other on Saturday.

Leicester’s Drinkwater has not been as good in the middle for the Foxes this season, perhaps because of Kante’s departure, yet there have been signs that he is beginning to get back to the sort of form that won him an England call-up back in March.

However, he’ll face the ultimate test on Saturday in former teammate Kante, who has continued where he left off at Leicester at Stamford Bridge with several dominant midfield displays alongside Nemanja Matic.

Nonetheless, the French international was easily second best to Victor Wanyama in their defeat to Spurs last week, and Drinkwater should look at that display from the Kenyan international as a way to thwart Kante’s influence on proceedings.

They know each other’s games, yet whoever wins this midfield battle is likely to have a big say in the outcome on Saturday night.

Wes Morgan vs Diego Costa

Wes Morgan was outstanding for Leicester in their title-winning campaign last season, yet the former Nottingham Forest man has been below-par for much of this season.

However, he can’t afford to be against Chelsea on Saturday, as the Blues boast the Premier League’s top-scorer and one of the most in-form strikers in the world in the form of Diego Costa.

The Spanish international has scored 14 goals in 19 Premier League starts this season, and has also laid on five assists as he continues to flourish in Conte’s front three.

His link-up play with Eden Hazard has been absolutely brilliant at times thus far, but it will be up to Morgan to organise his backline and lead by example against the Blues, denying Costa any space to turn or run into, as well as anticipating his movement and his passes.

Leicester defended poorly, especially at set pieces, in their 3-0 defeat to Chelsea back in October, yet they produced a resolute effort against Manchester City a few weeks ago, and a similar performance of that ilk from Morgan and his back four will frustrate the Chelsea frontline, and potentially help the hosts get a much-needed three points.