After failing to take more than a point from Hull City’s trip to the Old Trafford, Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United are back in action this weekend as they face a trip to the home of the Champions. Mourinho’s side is currently 13 points off the top of the Premier League table and will need to be at their best from now until the end of the campaign to entertain European football and this trip to the Kin Power cannot be easy. The Foxes have not taken a single point from their last two fixtures but they have been playing some decent football and will hope to give Mourinho’s side a scare on the night. Here is the preview of this game, along with the team news, predicted line-ups, betting odds and predictions:
The league game between Leicester City and Manchester United will be played on Sunday, the 5th of February, at the King Power in Leicester. The kickoff is scheduled at 4:00 pm BST (9:30 pm IST)
Team News:
Daniel Amartey is back from the AFCON and is available for this game while striking duo Islam Slimani and Leonardo Ulloa are both ruled out with injuries. They remain the only injury concerns for Claudio Ranieri, ahead of this tie.
Expected lineup (4-4-2):
Schmeichel; Simpson, Morgan, Huth, Fuchs; Mahrez, Drinkwater, Ndidi, Albrighton; Vardy, Gray
Team News:
Manchester United manager revealed that English defender Phil Joes is out of this game through injury. He remains the only absentee for Manchester United for this tie.
Expected lineup (4-3-3):
De Gea; Valencia, Smalling, Rojo, Blind; Herrera, Carrick, Pogba; Mkhitaryan, Martial, Zlatan
Key Battles:
Jamie Vardy vs Chris Smalling:
In an all-English battle, Manchester United Chris Smalling, who will play in this game because of an injury, will be up against Jamie Vardy, who has not been at his best this season. But the English striker can turn into a nightmare very quickly for Smalling as he will have to be on his toes throughout the game to make sure that Leicester are away from his goal.
Wes Morgan vs Zlatan Ibrahimovic:
A sizzling battle at one end of the game that can decide the outcome will be fought between Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who is their current top scorer and the biggest threat for Leicester and Wes Morgan, the backbone of the Leicester City defense. Both players will have to be at their best to give their team a shot at victory.
Key Stats:
Leicester City have won just one of their last 17 games against Man Utd in all competitions (D3 L13) – 5-3 in this exact fixture in September 2014.
Manchester United have only lost two of their 21 Premier League meetings with Leicester City (W13 D6).
This match will be Leicester’s 2000th in the top-flight (currently P1999 W642 D526 L831, 32.1 win %)
Vardy has had a hand in four goals in two Premier League appearances against Manchester United at the King Power Stadium (two goals, two assists).
Manchester United are currently on the longest unbeaten away run in the Premier League (six games – W4 D2 L0). This is their best away run in the competition since a run of seven games between November 2014 and February 2015.
Leicester are only the fifth Premier League team to fail to score in their opening four matches of a calendar year, following Newcastle (2008), Swansea (failed to score in their first four Premier League games in August & September 2011), Hull (2014) and Aston Villa (2015) – no team has ever failed to score in their first five.
The Foxes have lost their last three Premier League games – they haven’t lost four in a row since February 2015, a run of five under Nigel Pearson.
Leicester City hasn’t won both of their home league games against the Manchester clubs (United and City) in the same season since 1975-76.
Leicester City has won just one of their last 17 games against Man Utd in all competitions (D3 L13) – 5-3 in this exact fixture in September 2014.
Manchester United have only lost two of their 21 Premier League meetings with Leicester City (W13 D6).
This match will be Leicester’s 2000th in the top-flight (currently P1999 W642 D526 L831, 32.1 win %)
Jamie Vardy has had a hand in four goals in two Premier League appearances against Manchester United at the King Power Stadium (two goals, two assists).
Manchester United are currently on the longest unbeaten away run in the Premier League (six games – W4 D2 L0). This is their best away run in the competition since a run of seven games between November 2014 and February 2015.
In fact, Manchester United are now unbeaten in 14 Premier League games (W7 D7 L0) – this is the longest current unbeaten run in the ‘big five’ European leagues.
Leicester are only the fifth Premier League team to fail to score in their opening four matches of a calendar year, following Newcastle (2008), Swansea (failed to score in their first four Premier League games in August & September 2011), Hull (2014) and Aston Villa (2015) – no team has ever failed to score in their first five.
The Foxes have lost their last three Premier League games – they haven’t lost four in a row since February 2015, a run of five under Nigel Pearson.
Leicester City hasn’t won both of their home league games against the Manchester clubs (United and City) in the same season since 1975-76.
Betting Odds:
Leicester City: 4/1
Draw: 14/5
Manchester United: 4/6
Predictions:
These two teams are probably the ones who are most in need of a positive result. Manchester United have picked up just a couple of points from the last two games while Leicester City has won none. United would be favourites to go all the way in Leicester City’s form but playing at King Power, the Foxes are expected to make United work hard for even a point.
Our Prediction:
Leicester City 2-2 Manchester United