This weekend has an unusual feel to it, what with the transfer window slamming shut before, and the winter break starting afterwards for 12 clubs, including Chelsea and Leicester City.

The third-placed Foxes are on an indifferent run and have semi-final sorrow to shake out of their system. The Londoners remain clear of the pack in fourth, despite failing to win either of the last two league games.

This is the fifth time this season the Blues have been involved in the Premier League’s early Saturday tone-setter. Two of the previous four have ended in wins (one of those, against Palace, is below), one a draw and one a defeat.

The hosts’ coach Brendan Rodgers was a backroom staffer at Cobham while Frank Lampard graced Chelsea’s midfield. After moving on to coach elsewhere he signed several Blues players on loan such as Josh McEachran at Swansea, Victor Moses at Liverpool and Charly Musonda at Celtic.

Three points have been harder to snatch from his old club. The Blues are the team Rodgers has faced most, but of the 13 encounters he has drawn six and lost seven, including the unforgettable Demba Ba-inspired 2-0 victory at Liverpool in 2014.

The race for Champions League places

This weekend has produced a feisty batch of fixtures for top-four-place wannabes. Apart from the Blues’ trip to the Foxes, Manchester United and Wolves meet at Old Trafford, Tottenham host Manchester City, Sheffield United are at Palace and Arsenal travel to Burnley.

Following the home defeat by Bournemouth on 14 December, the last action before the busy Christmas period, Chelsea were placed fourth, three points shy of third and four ahead of fifth.

Six games later, we remain in the last Champions League slot and have extended the gap above the chasing pack to six points. This is because the Blues, despite patchy performances, have actually dropped fewer points than most of our rivals since the festive programme started.

Points dropped in past seven league matches

Chelsea 10Wolves 11Leicester 12Manchester Utd 12Arsenal 13Sheffield Utd 13Tottenham 13

What is equally clear is that Brendan Rodgers has overseen a general upswing at Leicester. Of all the teams challenging Liverpool and Manchester City for a Champions League place, the Foxes are the only one with a year-on-year improvement on the same stage last season.

Points change from same stage 2018/19

Leicester +16Wolves -1Chelsea -7Manchester Utd -11Arsenal -17Tottenham -20Sheffield Utd n/a

Striking options

While right-back Reece James has been back in training this week, centre-forward Tammy Abraham’s recovery from injury before Saturday is far from certain. Unless a late arrival beats the 11pm transfer curfew and is selected straightaway, Michy Batshuayi may be asked to lead the line again.

The Belgian netted expertly at Hull on FA Cup duty but his last goal in the top flight came in October during the 4-1 away win at Southampton. The Blues’ tally of 25 away goals in the league is already one better than over the whole of the 2018/19 campaign.

However, one of the reasons Leicester are now eight points clear is they are the third-highest goal scorers in the top tier and have taken half as many good chances (46.2 per cent) again as the Londoners do (31.8). Only leaders Liverpool (62) have allowed fewer shots on target than Frank Lampard’s side (71).

The reverse fixture at the Bridge finished 1-1. Mason Mount’s goal was the first of five shots on target for the Blues (one of them from starting striker that day Olivier Giroud) but Wilfred Ndidi equalised in the second half.

Different match preparations

While Chelsea had another clear week following the Hull FA Cup victory, Leicester’s build-up was interrupted by the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg against Aston Villa, where they suffered late heartbreak one step from the threshold of Wembley. It was deja-vu for Brendan Rodgers, whose Liverpool side lost to the Villans at the same stage of the 2014/15 FA Cup.

So City’s 20-year wait for a cup final appearance goes on, and disappointment can affect players in different ways. Rodgers will be determined to rouse his team for a clash that may still have implications for Champions League qualification.

After making nine changes as the fleet Foxes saw off the worker Bees in the FA Cup, on Wednesday Rodgers picked nine of the 11 that beat West Ham 4-1 in the league. The two differences were Wilfred Ndidi back for injured Nampalys Mendy, and Kelechi Iheanacho in for Jamie Vardy who eventually came off the bench following his recovery from a muscle problem.

With only partial involvement for their leading scorer, and for Ndidi, the defensive midfield screen with the knack of putting the Foxes on the front foot, they have won only two of their past six matches in all competitions.

Frank Lampard will have watched with interest how Villa pegged back and overloaded Leicester’s attacking full-backs. Both sides set up in a 3-5-2 formation.

Premier League goals

Jamie Vardy 17Sergio Aguero 16Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang 14Danny Ings 14Marcus Rashford 14Tammy Abraham 13

Coming up

After losing their Carabao Cup semi-final derby tie in midweek, Manchester United, the next visitors to the Bridge, entertain Wolves for Saturday evening’s live TV game.

Emma Hayes’ Chelsea Women beat Manchester United on Wednesday to set up a Leap Day meeting with rivals Arsenal in the Conti Cup final at the City Ground, Nottingham, on Saturday 29 February, a 5.30pm kick-off.

The Under-18s’ cup adventures continue with a home tie against Wolves in the FA Youth Cup on Monday 10 February, and an away trip to StokE a few days later in the FA Premier League Cup semi-finals.

Big nights to come at the Bridge

Should Liverpool overcome Shrewsbury in their FA Cup replay, the next four visitors to the Bridge would be Manchester United, Tottenham, Bayern Munich and Liverpool, with three of them under floodlights.

Premier League record retained

Raul Jimenez’s equaliser at Molineux a fortnight ago was the 15th top-flight goal scored against Liverpool this campaign. Why does that matter? It means Chelsea’s remarkable record of 15 conceded over a season, set in 2004/05, remains the fewest in the Premier League era for another year at least.

Premier League fixtures

SaturdayLeicester v Chelsea 12.30pm (BT Sport)Bournemouth v Aston Villa 3pmCrystal Palace v Sheffield United 3pmLiverpool v Southampton 3pmNewcastle v Norwich 3pmWatford v Everton 3pmWest Ham v Brighton 3pmManchester United v Wolves 5.30pm (Sky Sports)

SundayBurnley v Arsenal 2pm (Sky Sports)Tottenham v Manchester City 4.30pm (Sky Sports)