Leeds United
Leicester City
Leicester City
Leeds vs. Leicester - Two of the league’s greatest entertainers meet
Leeds 2-2 Leicester
When two entertaining, attacking teams such as Leeds and Leicester meet, it’s usually a game worth watching.
Leicester blew their opponents away in their first few matches, sitting top of the table after thrashing Manchester City 5-2. However, they have slipped slightly to 6th place after a couple of defeats.
A fine win against Arsenal last weekend saw them regain their form, however, and they will come into this one with confidence of continuing that.
As for Leeds, another week has gone by whereby they have fascinated fans and neutrals alike with their intense style of play, thrashing Aston Villa 3-0 last weekend.
Striker Patrick Bamford is in exceptional form, netting a hat trick last weekend and has looked completely suited to the Premier League since Leeds’ promotion.
This will be a real test for Leicester and will go some way in showing their current form.
Form Guide (all comps): WWDLW
Reasons to be cheerful:
Patrick Bamford is in fantastic form
Their intense pressing should work well against Leicester
Reasons to be fearful:
A few injury concerns
Yet to beat a ‘top’ team this season
Leeds further evidenced their quality by thrashing Aston Villa last weekend – Villa had been in excellent form before crashing down to earth, thoroughly outplayed by The Peacocks.
It is this quality which has seen them take points off Fulham, Sheffield United and Manchester City, with whom they shared a 1-1 draw back in September.
For all this, however, they are still to beat a big team in the league – someone like Leicester who have a history of challenging for top four places.
Leeds will see this fixture as a chance to rectify that this weekend, laying down a serious marker to anyone questioning their Premier League status.
Although Leicester beat Arsenal last weekend, The Gunners do not play with the same intensity as Leeds and The Foxes could struggle to contain their attacking powers. Patrick Bamford, of course, is in electric form.
Star Man – Patrick Bamford
A hat-trick last weekend takes him to six goals for the season so far. A great start to Premier League life.
Form Guide (all comps): LLWWW
Reasons to be cheerful
Jamie Vardy looks free from injury and is scoring important goals
Look an even stronger outfit than last season
Reasons to be fearful
Still have a few injury concerns
Fixture build-up after Europa League action
It will be a relief to Leicester fans that their best player Jamie Vardy is looking fit and sharp again after suffering with injury not too long ago.
He popped up from the substitutes bench last weekend to score the winner against Arsenal before finding the back of the net again in their midweek Europa League fixture.
His goals are key to Leicester’s chances of pushing into the top four, though manager Brendan Rodgers will surely be a little concerned about the amount of football they have played coming into this one.
Europa League football adds an extra layer of fatigue to an already packed season and Rodgers will want to make sure he is not overplaying his key stars.
They have the quality to beat Leeds, for sure, but can they cope with their intensity?
Star Man – Jamie Vardy
Now has seven goals in six appearances this season, he is crucial for Leicester’s chances.
Leicester could move into the top four with a win
Leeds will overtake Leicester if they claim three points
Should be an entertaining, end to end game
Both sides have a striker who is at the peak of their powers and could go a long way to deciding who leaves here with the points.
Vardy is the tried and tested master of scoring important goals, while Patrick Bamford is absolutely loving Premier League life with Leeds.
Leicester and Leeds have other quality players, of course, but these are the two who can decide the course of a football game in an instant.
This could go either way, but the two sets of attackers could cancel each other out.
Leeds 2-2 Leicester
