Leicester City vs Newcastle United, Premier League 2022-2023, Today Match Prediction

Leicester City vs Newcastle United Match Prediction & Analysis

Leicester will have a renewed sense of optimism as the season resumes here, with the club looking to put behind them their terrible start to the campaign.

Bottom of the league with just four points after nine games, the Foxes have hauled themselves out of the drop zone with a series of stirring performances under Brendan Rodgers.

Their manager will no longer fear for his position as he once would, but knows he needs to kick on once more to drag this team where their fans feel it deserves to be.

Newcastle are exceeding everyone’s expectations right now, not only with their league position but also with the sheer quality of their football.

They were one of the league’s best teams to watch before the World Cup break and there is every chance they can continue that now.

This could be a festive cracker.

TEAMS PREVIEW

Leicester City Preview

Reasons to be cheerful:

     Beaten Newcastle in nine of their previous 13 meetings

     Kept six clean sheets in their last eight matches

Reasons to be fearful:

     Winless in all eight league games against teams above them in the table

     Key player James Maddison faces late fitness test

All of a sudden, Leicester are looking like a Premier League big boy once again, after a poor start to the season that left many wondering about their chances of survival.

Now, they’ll be setting their sights firmly on the top eight places once more, although they’ll face stronger competition than ever if they are to achieve it.

With three wins on the bounce in their sights, not to mention six clean sheets from their last eight games, they’re no longer being pushed aside by their opponents.

They have a great record against Newcastle over the years, although most of those wins came before the money rolled in for the Magpies. It’s been the other way around this season.

James Maddison is usually the star man in this team, although he will face a late fitness test and could miss out completely. He has 23 goal involvements in 2022, second only to Harry Kane from an English point of view.

Star Man – Harvey Barnes

With 18 goal involvements this calendar year, he’s only just behind James Maddison for Leicester. He’s a real handful when running at opponents.

Newcastle United Preview

Reasons to be cheerful

     Could win six in a row for the first time since 2012

     Unbeaten in their last 12 in all competitions

Reasons to be fearful

     Magpies, and Eddie Howe, have a terrible Boxing Day record

     Lost 4-0 away to Leicester last season

If Leicester have turned a corner in their last few matches, Newcastle have turned a corner right from the start of the season.

They have become a new identity under Eddie Howe, with the help of the injection of money from Saudi Arabia, of course. New players have come in and wins have followed.

The Magpies are in the top three at this stage of the season for the first time in 21 years, a remarkable feat for a club that have been threatened with relegation for several seasons. 

While the Magpies have a poor record against Leicester, and on Boxing Day in general, those records appear consigned to the past under the new regime at St James’ Park.

Here, Alexander Isak is not fit to return from injury, meaning that Callum Wilson should start upfront after his World Cup exploits for England. 

Star Man – Miguel Almiron

Almiron was on fire before the season stopped for the World Cup – he probably would have preferred to keep going, considering he had seven goals from his previous eight appearances.