Leicester City’s dream start to the 2019/20 English Premier League campaign could hit a new peak this weekend when they face Arsenal.
Leicester City’s dream start to the 2019/20 English Premier League campaign could hit a new peak this weekend when they face Arsenal.
Leicester City’s dream start to the 2019/20 English Premier League campaign could hit a new peak this weekend when they face Arsenal. The encounter at the King Power Stadium could see Brendan Rodgers’ side climb to second with a win, as champions Manchester City square off with league leaders Liverpool on Sunday.
The Foxes took another step towards UEFA Champions League qualification as they brushed aside Crystal Palace with a comfortable 2-0 win at Selhurst Park last weekend. Roy Hodgson’s side looked to have nullified Leicester’s swift attacking threat when both sides went into the break goalless, only for Caglar Soyuncu to break the deadlock in the 57th minute with a fine header. Jamie Vardy then sealed the win on the road with a brilliant strike in the 88th minute after some neat work by Demarai Gray.
The victory in London ensured the Foxes stayed third on the table and level on points with Chelsea, albeit higher than the Blues due to a superior goal difference.
Arsenal went without a win for the third successive time in the English Premier League following a 1-1 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang steered the Gunners to the lead with his eighth league goal of the season in the 21st minute, but a Raul Jimenez header with a quarter of an hour left ensured the spoils were shared at the Emirates.
A second consecutive draw leaves Unai Emery’s charges fifth on the table on 17 points, six points behind their opponents this weekend.
The Foxes have a clean bill of health ahead of Arsenal’s visit, with the exception of Matty James and his long-term Achilles injury.
Midfielder Dani Ceballos could miss Arsenal’s trip to Leicester, as the 23-year-old seemed to pull a hamstring during their midweek 1-1 draw with Portuguese side Vitoria in the UEFA Europa League.
Forward Reiss Nelson could, however, be up for selection after the teenager recovered from a knee injury sustained at the beginning of last month.
Household names like Mesut Ozil, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and David Luiz should be back in the starting 11 having been rested for the outing with Vitoria.
Although Leicester City’s impressive start to the campaign has been the result of solid team performances, with the dynamic duo of Youri Tielemans and James Maddison consistently impressing, Jamie Vardy’s cold-as-ice nature in front of goal is what has propelled the former champions to excellence.
Having scored a hat-trick against Southampton during the tail end of last month in arguably his best performance of the campaign, the 32-year-old netted his 10th EPL goal of the season last weekend to retain his place as the leading goalscorer.
Beaming with confidence and going against a susceptible Arsenal side, Vardy looks certain to get on the score sheet on Saturday.
Brendan Rodgers has made a bright start to life at the King Power. His side is playing with the kind of confidence that can only be likened to the Leicester City squad that won the league title in the 2015/16 campaign.
Arsenal, on the other hand, are going through a rough patch. The Gunners are without a win in their last four matches across the board, while the situation off the field is deteriorating at an alarming rate.
Leicester have the form and the home field advantage, so this is their game to lose.
Leicester City to win first half/Leicester City to win second half – +500 at Bovada
Leicester City 3-0 Arsenal (April 28, 2019)
Youri Tielemans 59’
Jamie Vardy 86’, 90+5’
Arsenal 3-1 Leicester City (October 22, 2018)
Mesut Ozil 45’
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang 63’, 66’
Hector Bellerin 31’ (OG)
Leicester City 3-1 Arsenal (May 9, 2018)
Kelechi Iheanacho 14’
Jamie Vardy 76 (P)
Riyad Mahrez 90’
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang 53’
Arsenal 4-3 Leicester City (August 11, 2017)
Alexandre Lacazette 2’
Danny Welbeck 45+2’
Aaron Ramsey 83’
Olivier Giroud 85’
Shinji Okazaki 5’
Jamie Vardy 29’, 56’
Arsenal 1-0 Leicester City (April 26, 2017)
Robert Huth 86’ (OG)