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Manager Claudio Ranieiri’s band of swashbucklers make their way down to Goodison Park this weekend as Leicester City gear up for another tricky tie in the Premier League against Everton. The Foxes downed defending champions Chelsea 2-1 in their last outing that culminated into manager Jose Mourinho’s ouster, and will look to consolidate their position atop the league summit with another major victory.
From relegation plodders last term to genuine title contenders this season, the men from Leicester are writing one of the most historic tales ever seen in England’s top tier competition. Led by the prolific duo of Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez, they currently lead the pack by 2 points and have been defeated just once all season. Moreover, on their current form, do not seem to cede their position at the top of the standings anytime soon.
Having said that, Roberto Martinez led Everton have a Herculean task of staying on the pitch unscathed for 90 minutes against the high-fliers of East Midlands, but their mediocre run of results thus far does no good to their cause. They may have lost only thrice in the opening 16 games, but have also won just five and currently occupy the mid-table position in 10th.
The going doesn't get any tougher for Everton with the visit of Leicester City, who are riding on a wave of resounding confidence as you may know.
Kickoff and Live Telecast
Date and Time: 19th December 2015 – 20:30 PM (IST)
Channel: Star Sports 4
Live stream: www.premier-league-lives.net
Venue: Goodison Park, Liverpool
Team News
Everton may be without James McCarthy, who missed their last three games with a hip problem and won’t be fit enough to participate this game as well, but centre-back John Stones is likely to feature in the line-up despite the heavy fall during the game to Norwich last weekend.
Leicester City will be shackled by the absence of Danny Drinkwater after he picked-up a hamstring problem against Chelsea on Monday, whereas full-back Jeffery Schlupp remains out for six weeks.
Robert Huth will be serving a one-match ban and hence will play no part in the game, whilst Ritchie de Laet continues his recovery from an ankle problem.
Team Form
Everton's form in the Premier League so far has been patchy to say the least. Following an encouraging 3-0 win at Southampton, lost out to Manchester City and were held by Tottenham. After another encouraging win, a 3-1 success over Chelsea, drew at Swansea.
Then after holding Liverpool to a 1-1 stalemate, lost out to Manchester United and Arsenal. Then again after another encouraging win, this time a 6-2 thumping of Sunderland, drew at West Ham. And finally after yet another confidence boosting win, a 4-0 demolition of hapless Aston Villa, drew thrice in succession, to Bournemouth, Crystal Palace and Norwich.
‘Nuff said.
Last 5 games (All competitions): D-W-D-D-D (Last match: Norwich City 1-1 Everton)
On the flip side, Leicester City enter the game as the most in-form side of the Premier League. After triumphing in the opening two games, the Foxes went through a rough road in the next 7 games, winning only twice and drawing 4 times. They also lost 5-2 at home to Arsenal during that sluggish period, but have more than made up for it with 6 victories in the next 7 games, a run that also propelled them to top of the standings.
Barring the Gunners, none of Premier League heavyweights such as Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United and Chelsea have been able to claim maximum points from them, and it appears as if they are on course to add another scalp to the list by the time they leave Goodison Park.
Last 5 games (All competitions: W-W-D-W-W (Last match: Leicester City 2-1 Chelsea)
Possible starting line-up:
Everton (4-2-3-1): Howard, Coleman, Stones, Funes Mori, Baines; Cleverley, Barry; Deulofeu, Barkley, Kone; Lukaku.
Leicester City (4-4-2): Schmeichel; Simpson, Morgan, Benalouane, Fuchs; Mahrez, Inler, Kante, Albrighton; Ulloa, Vardy.
Key stats
- Leicester City have not lost an away match in the league since losing 4-3 to Tottenham Hotspur in March this year.
- Everton haven’t lost to Leicester City in the Premier League since the 2-0 loss in August 1998.
- The Foxes have scored in every league game so far this season, and are the only side to do so.
- Leicester City have won 17 of their last 25 games in the league, losing only twice.
- 13 of the last 18 encouters between Everton and Leicester City have ended all square.
Key battles
Romelu Lukaku and Gerard Deulofeu vs Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez
The star performers for either sides, the attacking pair of Everton and Leicester City respectively are in terrific form of late and have been the most instrumental from the lot in the upturn of their respective team’s fortunes.
Belgian striker Lukaku has effectively shrugged off early season hitches by scoring in the last 6 games, becoming the first ever player to do so, and has assisted another 4. His closest ally and former Barcelona man Deulofeu, has assisted 7, six of which have come for Lukaku.
On the other hand, Jamie Vardy is the top scorer of the season at this stage with 15 strikes, including the record-breaking run of scoring in 12 consecutive games, and also has 2 assists to his name, whilst Mahrez has found the net 11 times and assisted another 7, joint-second highest with Deulofeu.
The stats of each of the duet is equally eye-popping, and the one that outscores or outperforms the other, is most certainly going to decide the outcome of the match.
Prediction
The juggernaut that is Leicester City, hold the edge going into the game, and Everton must fire early on to take a significant lead to harbor any hopes of taking something away from this game. The Toffees have lost only twice at home all season and will be relying on the home crowd to back them once again.
Expect a nip and tuck affair with both sides going full throttle, but the Foxes to emerge victorious in the end.
Everton 1-2 Leicester City
Betting Odds (bet365)
Everton – 11/10
Draw – 11/4
Leicester City – 13/5
