The last time Leicester were top of the Premier League

Leicester City host Manchester United in a top-of-the-table clash on Saturday Night Football. It's being deemed an unusual encounter in terms of the team's league position, but we've been here before - haven't we?

City fans will have been pinching themselves all week at the sight of their club topping the Premier League but you only have to go back 15 years to find a similar story. 

After an eight-game unbeaten start to the 2000/01 season, Peter Taylor's side topped the pile in October after a 0-0 draw with Sunderland.

In a strange twist of fate their season was brought back down to earth when they were dispatched 3-0 against, yes, you've got it, second-placed Manchester United.

Much like the current Leicester side, who went top with a 3-0 win over Newcastle on Saturday, the 2000/01 side was a team built on team spirit and togetherness rather than individual quality. They specilaised in punching above their weight. 

However, in comparison to the current free-scoring City side, who have notched 28 goals in 13 games, the team that sprung to the top of table in 2000 were reliant upon their impeccable defensive record.

Marshalled by Matt Elliott and protected by Neil Lennon and Robbie Savage in midfield, Leicester conceded just two goals in their first eight games.

It was a sensational start to the campaign, however, Taylor is the first to admit that he was no miracle worker.

He inherited a side that had won two League Cup titles under Martin O'Neill, who left to take over as Celtic manager in the summer of 2000. Those events actually provide a strong comparison with the way Claudio Ranieri has continued the momentum gained towards the end of Nigel Pearson's tenure, where he led Leicester to a remarkable escape from relegation, winning seven of their last nine games. 

"I knew I was taking over a great squad of players who had a great spirit and really good ability," Taylor told Sky Sports News HQ. 

"Everyone was very nervous when I took over as I was taking over from Martin O'Neill, who was such a legend at Leicester. The players weren't surprised about being top of the table, they just went onto the pitch believing they could win every match."

Sir Alex Ferguson's powerful and gifted team soon put a dent in that invincible feeling. Two goals from Teddy Sheringham and an Ole Gunnar Solskaer strike from the bench meant that United flip-flopped with Leicester at the top of the league.

Of course, comparing teams and players from two different generations is far from an exact science, but it doesn't stop us asking Taylor the obvious question about which of the two Leicester sides were a better outfit.

"Today's team might be more athletic than the squad we had but I very much doubt that this Leicester side have the characters in the side I had," he said. 

"Perhaps this current squad has more dribblers and pace up front than we had. But people like Muzzy Izzet, Robbie Savage, Gerry Taggart and Matt Elliott were all very good players. They were tremendous to work with and the spirit was fantastic. 

"Our season at that time was eight games old and we were delighted to be top of the table. For me, being manager of a team in the Premier League was exciting enough but to play Manchester United as league leaders and win manager of the month was incredible. However, the current side deserve more credit now for being top after more games."

While United stayed top for the entire season, winning the Premier League by 10 points, Leicester's form slowly declined.

They maintained positive results up until the Christmas period, winning four and drawing one of their next five home matches. When Taylor's men kicked-off against Arsenal on Boxing Day, they were fourth in the Premier League, just three points off the Gunners in second. 

Unfortunately, Thierry Henry wasn't in the mood for bearing gifts and he hit a sublime hat-trick in a 6-1 thumping win.

Leicester never recovered from that hammering and their season went into freefall.

They finished the campaign with 12 straight defeats on the road and picked up a measly three points from their final 10 games. Roy Essandoh also made a name for himself as Wycombe famously knocked out Leicester of the FA Cup at the quarter final stage.

"I know there will be Leicester City fans out there who think that I did rubbish at the club, but for the first few months it was great," Taylor, who was sacked in September 2001, recalls. 

"For 10 months the players were magnificent. In the end it was my fault - not the players - why we failed."

According to Taylor, motivation was the key factor on Leicester's drastic drop in form. Once their chance of a European finish evaporated, it was a squad whose minds were on the beach during March and April.

Could history repeat itself 15 years on? Taylor doesn't rule it out.

"They mustn't stop doing the things that have been getting results because if they think they're better than they are - not run that extra yard to make a bad pass into a good one - then they might have problems," he said. 

"Players like Jamie Vardy won't let their standards drop but I think the whole squad has to make sure that doesn't happen.

"I think if Leicester end the season where we finished it would be a failure."

THE FOOTBALL LANDSCAPE ON OCTOBER 1, 2000

Manchester United were second in the Premier League and would go on to win the title. Arsenal were third.

West Ham, Bradford City and Derby County made up the Premier League's bottom three

Fulham were top of the old Division One, Walsall led Division Two and Chesterfield topped Division Three.

The old Wembley Stadium was about to host its final game as England lost 1-0 to Germany in a World Cup qualifier and Kevin Keegan resigned immediately afterwards. 

Luis Figo was the most expensive player in the world after joining Real Madrid from Barcelona for £37m.

Jamie Vardy would have been 13 years old. Riyad Mahrez would have been nine years old.

And finally... Claudio Ranieri - now Leicester manager -  took charge of his first Chelsea home game on October 1, 2000 as strikes from Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Eidur Gudjohnsen, plus a Sander Westerveld own goal, gave the Blues a 3-0 win over Liverpool at Stamford Bridge.