Leicester City are back in action on Saturday after the international break. Nigel Pearson's men welcome Sunderland to the King Power Stadium in what is a crunch clash as both teams are struggling near the foot of the Premier League.
City have lost their last four matches, and have not picked up a point since the 2-2 draw at home to Burnley at the start of last month.
It is a run that has seen City slip into the bottom three, although they are still only five points off 10th spot, putting even more emphasis on the game against the Black Cats, who are just three points ahead in 14th.
We put a series of fans' questions to our City correspondent Rob Tanner.
QAfter such a positive start to the season, why have performances and results suddenly started to turn?
AIt is certainly a startling contrast to the first five performances, which were vibrant and dogged, and which gave us all great confidence that City were going to be this season's surprise package. The performance against Manchester United in particular got everyone excited.
However, it seems since then City have lost their spark. They have been competitive and have remained in games, but they appear to have lost that cutting edge they had earlier in the campaign.
There have been numerous changes in formation and personnel during the last six games and it feels like City are searching to rediscover their early season form.
It is particularly worrying that City now have the unenviable combination of being unable to keep clean sheets and score goals.
QCity have not scored in their last 410 minutes of action. They scored 11 in their first seven games. Why the sudden drought?
ACity are suffering from a lack of creativity in the final third. While manager Nigel Pearson has opted for a very solid midfield with a desire to avoid being outnumbered in central areas, City have lost that creative spark and chances have been few and far between.
In the early games, City were much more adventurous, often playing three attacking players, and Leonardo Ulloa had plenty of support.
He has been a much more isolated figure in recent games and the supply lines from wide areas have dried up, especially while City have utilised a diamond midfield.
City are also lacking that one player who can conjure something out of nothing, which most Premier League sides have. Riyad Mahrez has shown in spells he may be that player, but he has been inconsistent.
QWhy has there been such a lack of consistency? Why the lack of width?
ACity are still adapting and learning about the Premier League. So few of them have played at this level before it was inevitable they were going to have a poor run at some stage. It is an unforgiving league.
What hasn't helped has been the number of formation and personnel changes. Last season, City were a very stable side. There were very few changes, but that is easy to do when you are winning every week.
This season, Pearson seems to still be looking for his best team and best formation, and it may take a little while longer
QWhere is Anthony Knockaert?
AThe little Frenchman has not had many chances so far this season, not even off the substitutes' bench. That is a surprise after he played such a prominent role last season.
He does possess a creative spark, like Mahrez, and the pair played in tandem for most of last season.
Perhaps Pearson believes City can't play with both of them in the Premier League, because it would leave them so open in central midfield and they would get picked off.
Pearson has gone for a more conservative bench, rather than the attacking one we saw regularly last season.
However, it is still early days and Knockaert has shown an excellent attitude by playing regularly in the under-21s side. He may get his chance soon.
QWhat is more important, picking your team to suit your own strengths or to stop the opposition's?
AYou need a balance of both, but perhaps in recent games the emphasis has been too much towards stopping the opposition and staying in games than enforcing their own playing style on opponents.
When you go away from home it is important to try to nullify the hosts and make it difficult for them to play their way. City have certainly done that in the games at Newcastle and Southampton and were undone late on.
However, at home City should be more confident that they can cause teams problems through their own attacking play.
Against West Brom it felt as though City were far too concerned about Albion's midfield strength and set up accordingly, and as a result they struggled to create chances of their own.
I would like to see City a little more positive at the King Power Stadium.
QWhat do City need to do to put it right?
AJust keeping believing in what they are doing. The last thing City need to do is start panicking and lose confidence.
The supporters also have a massive role to play. They need to stick by this group of players and help them find their feet in this division.
After the recent run there were a few murmurings on social media and in the mainstream media, but that hasn't manifested itself inside the ground yet and I hope it doesn't, because it doesn't help anyone.
City need to settle down and get back to the formula that made them so successful last season. They need to be positive in their approach because I think every fan would agree that if they are to go back down to the Championship, all the supporters want is to see them go down fighting.
A few new additions in the January transfer window would help as well.
QDo City have enough quality in their squad, as it stands, to stay up?
AYes, they have enough good players within the squad to stay up, although a couple of new signings, especially in forward positions, wouldn't go amiss.
Jamie Vardy has shown he can cause Premier League defences problems, Ulloa has scored goals when given the right service, Esteban Cambiasso, pictured, has loads of quality, while Danny Drinkwater has not looked out of place.
At the back, City may have kept just one clean sheet but they have looked reasonably solid for long spells, so it isn't all doom and gloom.
There have been encouraging and promising signs for City but the margins between success and failure are so fine in the Premier League.
QWhere do you think City need to strengthen in January, and will Pearson be given the funds to do so?
APearson has already said he wouldn't rule out doing some business in January, and I think he does need to. He will be given the funds he requires, there is no question about that, and it may take a few quid as well as the January window is notoriously difficult to deal in because the prices become inflated.
Clubs are unwilling to part with key players halfway through a season so slap big asking prices on their players.
Also, it seems that it is clubs who are struggling that are more keen to do business and they are seen as desperate, so the ball is very much in the court of the selling club.
I think City need to bring in another striker and a creative midfield player during January.
The return of Matt Upson, hopefully, will bolster City's defensive options but it is in the final third where they seem to need most help.
QHow much pressure is Pearson under? The owners have shown support in him before, during a bad run two seasons ago. Will they do the same again?
AAll the pressure he is said to be under is generated by the media. It isn't coming internally because the City board are fully committed to Pearson and his staff after the job they have done over the last few years.
It isn't coming from the vast majority of the supporters, either, who seem to realise it is going to take a bit of time to get it right.
Of course, if the losing streak continues for a considerable period of time then some fans may become disgruntled, but Pearson will be given plenty of time by the board, and so he should.