Friday, 27 November 2015

Match preview: Leicester v United

Who would have predicted back in August that this Saturday tea-time kick-off  at the King Power would feature the league's top two locking horns with intriguing subplots aplenty. 

Having sacked Nigel Pearson and raised eyebrows with the appointment of Italian Claudio Ranieri, that decision proved to be a masterstroke with the flying, in-form Foxes having only lost once so far in the league (at home to Arsenal). 

We return to the scene of last season's 3-5 nadir knowing that victory would put us top, but even that will likely not be enough to silence the sniffing Louis van Gaal detractors. 

Last season's match here will live long in the memory: sadly for us, for all the wrong reasons- Tyler Blackett was sent off and, after leading 3-1, we capitulated to a hugely disappointing reverse.

All that is history though, and, speaking of history we could see a slice of it made here as the Foxes red-hot striker Jamie Vardy bids to score for the 11th league game in a row, eclipsing the record of our very own Ruud van Nistelrooy and becoming the first player to ever manage that feat. 

Ander Herrera and Phil Jones are still unavailable, Michael Carrick remains a doubt whilst Luke Shaw and Antonio Valencia are long term absentees with leg and foot injuries respectively.

There are no new injury concerns for United.

Speaking on Friday, van Gaal praised top-of-the-table Leicester and said: 


"I don't think anybody expected that Leicester shall be top, even themselves, but they are and of course they deserve to be there, but we have a good chance to win because our defensive organisation is very strong.
"It shall not be easy, as they are playing with confidence and their organisation is very good as well but as I said before we can win anywhere."

On recent form in front of goal, the Dutchman added:

"If we weren't creating chances I'd be worried but we are and we don't give too much away in the defence, so our results have been good I think.
"That is why we are second in the Premier League- and of course we can be first- and second in our Champions League group" 


Form guide: Leicester D W D W W W United D D W W W D
Match odds: Leicester 21/10 Draw 12/5 United 13/10 (Vardy to score 6/4)
Referee: Craig Pawson 










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