Go back seven months to the time when the fixture list was announced. The first weekend in February always seemed to stage a potential title decider. Chelsea against Manchester United looked rich with intrigue; would Louis van Gaal take the crown from his protégé, Jose Mourinho? Manchester City's meeting with Leicester City, on the other hand, could have been branded as a clash of possible champions with a team on its way to the Championship. Except it is not.
This particular tale of two clubs named City has shown greater similarities than expected. They are neighbours in the table but have taken very different paths towards the top.