Leicester City
Southampton FC
Southampton FC
Leicester and Southampton clash in battle of two high-flying teams near the top
Leicester to win 3-2
This could well be a cracking match.
Two of the league’s most positive sides clash this weekend with incentives for either side to go after with a win. For Leicester, a side who have been far more impressive on the road than at home, they have the chance to go 2nd in the table as they play before Liverpool.
They should be well-rested having had a full week’s recovery after their comfortable 4-0 win against Stoke in the FA Cup last weekend. Several big name players were rested in that one too. The Foxes are on a good little run right now, and will fancy their chances here.
Southampton know they can go level on points with 4th place with a victory. They’ve also had a longer than expected rest, with their FA Cup match postponed due to their opponents’ Covid outbreak.
Form Guide (all comps): WDDWW
Reasons to be cheerful:
Vardy and Maddison will return to the side after two weeks recovery
This is Leicester’s longest unbeaten run this season (four games)
Reasons to be fearful:
Southampton have been great away from home
Leicester’s home form has been patchy this season
Leicester will surely be wishing that they were the away side for this one. Only 31% of Leicester’s points this season have come at home, having lost four out of eight fixtures at the King Power stadium.
Jamie Vardy has been in excellent form for them this season, and he will return to the side after resting for the past couple of weeks. His home form, however, has also been surprisingly poor.
Nevertheless, Leicester have built up a good run of form over Christmas and the start of 2021, with this being their longest unbeaten run of the season. Everton were the last team to beat them in mid-December.
They proved to Manchester United in their 2-2 draw that they are more than a match for the top teams and they’ll play with confidence against Southampton.
Star Man – Jamie Vardy
Who else? Leicester’s top scorer and star player should be well-rested and recovered from a minor injury.
Form Guide (all comps): DLDDW
Reasons to be cheerful:
Almost two weeks rest will have done them good
Going for a club-record of seven consecutive away games unbeaten
Reasons to be fearful:
Danny Ings likely to miss out through Covid-19
Several other injury concerns
Southampton have the opportunity of showing the league just how far they have come inside a year when they face Leicester, the same opponents who battered them 9-0 last season.
The Saints were a shell of the side they have now become, one who briefly sat atop the Premier League earlier in the season.
For this one, they will likely be without star striker Danny ings who earlier this week tested positive for Coronavirus and must now isolate. Key first-team players like Vestergaard, Romeu, Redmond and Djenepo are all doubtful.
They must take the fight to Leicester, you feel, if they are to be successful and, although it will be harder without Ings, they have the firepower to cause them problems.
Star Man – Che Adams
Their 2nd top scorer this season, the youngster has another chance to prove he can be the Saints’ main man without Ings.
Leicester are favourites though will be a close game
Likely to see two or more goals
Chances at both ends
Leicester and Southampton are separated in the league table by a mere three points, a gap which The Saints could wipe out if they were to win this weekend.
That being said, Leicester are in great form and will have felt the benefit of resting some keys players last weekend.
Both sides are likely to score, but Leicester could just edge it.
Leicester to win 3-2
