As Premier League action resumes after the international break, Leicester City prepare to take on Chelsea at the King Power Stadium this Saturday. The highly anticipated match kicks off at 12:30 p.m., as Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca takes on the club he brought back to the Premier League last season, now managed by Steve Cooper.
The pre-match spotlight will undoubtedly be on Maresca and the reception he receives from the Leicester supporters. Although he led the Foxes to Championship glory and secured promotion, his management style attracted its fair share of criticism during the team’s more difficult times. Yet he has made a significant impact since taking the reins at Chelsea, whose surprising rise to the Premier League’s top three cannot be ignored, although they are currently above Arsenal, Nottingham Forest and Brighton & Hove Albion thanks to their superior goal difference.
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Although Chelsea’s aspirations suffered a slight setback with just one win in their last four league outings, the opponents in those matches were formidable: Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal. The Blues managed to secure a 1-1 draw against Arsenal on matchday 11, thanks to a dramatic equalizer from Pedro Neto.
Historically, Chelsea have struggled to find their rhythm after international breaks, having managed just one win in their last seven games in such circumstances. This only victory was acquired against Bournemouth in September.
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On the other hand, Leicester have shown signs of resilience in their Premier League journey since Maresca’s departure. Under Cooper’s leadership, they sit comfortably in 15th with 10 points from 33, moving three points clear of the relegation zone despite a recent lack of wins. The Foxes have avoided back-to-back home defeats this season and will look to capitalize on home advantage against Chelsea.
Interestingly, while Leicester have consistently found the net in all of their home games this season, they have only managed to score more than one goal in their 4-0 EFL Cup win over Tranmere Rovers. Additionally, it has been a difficult spell for Leicester against Chelsea, with the latter winning five and drawing once in their last six meetings, including a 4-2 win in last season’s FA Cup quarter-final.
Leicester City’s Recent Form: L W W L D L
All Competitions: W W L L D L
Chelsea’s Recent Form: W D L W D D
All Competitions: W W L D W D
Team News
For Chelsea, the injury news remains mixed, as defender Reece James suffered a minor hamstring problem and will not make the trip to Leicester. However, Maresca confirmed that James is the only major injury concern, implying that players like Romeo Lavia, Cole Palmer, Jadon Sancho and Levi Colwill are fit after overcoming their respective ailments.
In contrast, Leicester face a bleaker situation with striker Abdul Fatawu, who suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury during international duty, ruling him out for the remainder of the season. The Foxes also have key players with fitness uncertainties, such as Jamie Vardy (back), Patson Daka (ankle), Bobby Decordova-Reid (Achilles) and Jordan Ayew (knee), although all have potential chances of participate this weekend. Ricardo Pereira (thigh) and Jakub Stolarczyk (ankle) are confirmed out, and Facundo Buonanotte will serve a one-match suspension for reaching five yellow cards.
Likely Lineups:
Leicester City : Hermansen; Justin, Faes, Vestergaard, Kristiansen; Winks, Ndidi, Soumare; El Khannouss, Edouard, Mavididi
Chelsea : Sánchez; Gusto, Fofana, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Lavia; Madueke, Palmer, Neto; jackson
Heading into the match, predicting the outcome seems obvious amid Leicester’s struggles with injuries and Chelsea’s thriving away form. Our prediction leans towards a 3-0 win for Chelsea, amid potent attacking threats and the Foxes’ defensive vulnerabilities.
For an in-depth analysis of match predictions and potential results, please visit our dedicated preview page.
