The Champions of the Premier League, Leicester City, will open their campaign in the upcoming season with a trip to newly-promoted Hull City. The Foxes surprised everyone last season as they rose to the top of the league and ensured a memorable win. Claudio Ranieri produced a master class when it came to team selection and tactics while the likes of Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez ensured that this Leicester team would be talking about for ages. Thanks to the league win. Leicester also will be participating in the UEFA Champions League and that will have a major role to play in their performance this season.
Currently, the Foxes have been handed a kind draw from the computers as they play all their games after a Champions League tie at home, something that should give them a chance of continuing their incredible form from last season.
There will be a lot of attention as to how the Foxes perform this season and the pressure will surely be on them to keep up the good work. We look ahead to an interesting Premier League campaign for the Leicester side and analyse their fixtures.
August - December
August
The Premier League champions start off with a relatively easy fixture against newly promoted Hull city. The Tigers though would like to announce their return to the top flight with a win and could certainly make life difficult for the Foxes.
The next two games sees the side host Arsenal and Swansea. The Gunners were able to get the better of Leicester in both games last season but coming at such an early stage of the season it could end up in a draw. Swansea though should be an easy three points for Ranieri’s men.
September
This month could be tough for the side as they would have a couple of Champions League group stage matches spread across. Leicester would also have to play Liverpool and Manchester United away from home, while Burnley is the only team they face at the King Power Stadium.
The Foxes would actually do pretty well if they can get anything above six points from these three games as you never know what Liverpool and Manchester United could do.
October
The fixtures really have thrown Leicester City under the bus, especially when it comes to away games in the first half of the season. The Foxes start the month playing Southampton at home before travelling to face Antonio Conte and his Chelsea team at Stamford Bridge.
The next game sees the Premier League champions take on Crystal Palace at the King Power before facing another tough game against Tottenham at White Hart Lane. Anything greater than six points, again, would be a bonus for a side that clearly punched above their weight last season.
November
Leicester have only three games to play in this month and most of them should be winnable. The champions play West Bromwich Albion at home before a tough trip to Watford. The easiest game, on paper at least, would be the tie against newly promoted Middlesbrough.
Nine points should be the target for the team and anything less than that would be deemed a disappointment.
December
The toughest month for every Premier League side thanks to the plethora of league and cup games they have to face. Leicester will also have to deal with the same issue as they play six league games across the month, not including other cup games.
The fixtures have been a little kind this month as the Foxes only play one extremely strong side, on paper, against Manchester City. The other sides they have to face include Sunderland, Bournemouth, Stoke, Everton and West Ham.
The relatively tougher games against City, Everton and West Ham are being played at home, which should give confidence to the Foxes as they were tremendous in their own back yard. 12 points should be the target for the team but they could get more than that as well.
January to May
January
The start of the New Year sees Leicester face off against Middlesbrough on 2 January 2017. A couple of weeks later, the Premier League champions host Chelsea, in what should be another exciting encounter.
The last two games of the month should be relatively easy for Claudio Ranieri’s men as they take on Southampton and Burnley away, which should be six points for the side at least.
February
This is one month where the Foxes should be looking to get maximum points from their fixtures. Although they host Manchester United and Liverpool in the Premier League, this Leicester team should be able to get the better of them as the games would be played at the King Power stadium.
The other game of the month for the side would be a trip to Wales as they face Swansea. Nine points out of nine should be the target for Ranieri’s team.
March
London seems to be the home for Leicester in March as the last two games of the month sees the Foxes play Arsenal and West Ham, both away from home.
The Premier League champions though start the month against Hull City, which should be an easy three points but the other two games can prove tough depending how far Leicester go in the Champions League and the toll European football would take on Ranieri’s men.
April
April is another busy month for Claudio Ranieri’s men as his side have to deal with six Premier League fixtures. This month should be the easiest one of the lot for the Foxes as they don’t really have too many tough games barring the one against Tottenham at home.
Leicester start the month playing Stoke City and Sunderland at home before taking on Everton at Goodison. They continue travelling as the side faces Crystal Palace and return home to play Spurs.
The Premier League champions finish the month playing against West Brom away, which should be an easy three points for the club.
May
Leicester end their Premier League campaign with games against Watford, Manchester City and Bournemouth.
Two out of the three games are at home with the Citizens hosting the plucky side in between the two games at the King Power Stadium. Six points should be a surety for the Foxes but they could get a similar result as to last season at the Etihad as well.
Verdict
Last season was one of the greatest in the history of the Premier League and it would be a miracle if Leicester can again win the Premier League. The going will be tough for Claudio Ranieri’s men as they have to deal with Champions League football as well, something which will take a toll on the players.
The toughest month for the Foxes would be October when they face Chelsea and Tottenham away but April should be a walk in the park for the side as they don’t really have a lot of tough games to deal with.
The Italian though will take each game as it comes and not fret too much about the result. It is this kind of attitude that could see them do well and even make it to the top four this season, which would be incredible and who would want to bet against that happening?
