The fairytale is nearly complete. After 35 displays of passion, desire and mental strength, Leicester City – who were nearly heading to the Championship last season – are almost unbelievably on the brink of a famous Premier League crown.
How fitting it would be for Claudio Ranieri’s men that they clinch the title at the home of the club who have won it the most number of times – Manchester United. A win at Old Trafford would officially make the Foxes the sixth club in the Premier League era to lift the coveted prize.
Can they produce another gritty performance to seal the title at Old Trafford?
Kick-Off and Live Telecast
Channel: Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 HD
Live Stream: www.starsports.com
Kick-Off: Sunday, 1 May – 1835 IST (1405 BST)
Venue: Old Trafford
Team News
Manchester United have no new injury concerns as Bastian Schweinsteiger, Adnan Januzaj and Luke Shaw remain unavailable.
Leicester City also have no fresh injury news, with Jamie Vardy serving an additional match ban and Matty James still out.
Team Form
Manchester United advanced into the FA Cup final last Saturday with a last-gasp winner by Anthony Martial, but their defence was stretched by the counter-attacking threat of Gerard Deuofeu and Ross Barkley in the last 20 minutes. It was Romelu Lukaku’s wastefulness in front of goal that saved United the blushes in the end.
Louis van Gaal would have definitely addressed that issue in the training ground and one waits to see what the defenders’ response to that performance against the Toffees is.
Attacking wise, United seem to have hit the jackpot with their combination, although it might have come a little too late. A nearly-fit squad has also helped Louis van Gaal, whose tweak in formation from the traditional 4-2-3-1 to a 4-1-4-1 has made them look more potent as an attacking force.
He will hope his youngsters Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard on either wing and Marcus Rashford up-top click as a unit and delay Leicester’s celebrations by at least another week.
Last 5 games(All Competitions) : W-W-W-W-L (Most Recent : Everton 1-2 Manchester United)
Leicester City showed that they were capable of digging out the results in the absence of Jamie Vardy with a 4-0 mauling of Swansea City last weekend. Leonardo Ulloa – Vardy’s replacement – delivered the goods with a brace and the onus will be on him to get on the scoresheet at Old Trafford as well.
Jeffrey Schlupp may well have won his place at the cost of Marc Albrighton on the left-wing, thanks to a dazzling display against the Welsh club. The back-four have been as solid as ever for the last two months – keeping 7 clean sheets in the last 9 games.
Throughout the season, their desire to churn out results and the passion showed by their fans have been the major factors that have brought them to the cusp of a Premier League title, even the most ardent Foxes’ fan could not have dreamt of at the start of the season.
One more win in their final three games and the crown is officially theirs. Can they complete the miracle at the ground that has seen their team lift the title the maximum number of times?
Last 5 games(All Competitions) : W-D-W-W-W (Most Recent : Leicester City 4-0 Swansea)
Predicted Starting Line-Ups
Manchester United (Formation 4-1-4-1): De Gea; Valencia, Smalling, Blind, Rojo; Schneiderlin; Lingard, Rooney, Herrera, Martial; Rashford
Leicester City (Formation 4-4-2): Schmeichel; Simpson, Huth, Morgan, Fuchs; Mahrez, Kante, Drinkwater, Schlupp; Okazaki, Ulloa
Key Stats
Head-to-Head
- The last three league meetings between these two clubs have resulted in a win, a defeat and a draw for either side.
- Louis van Gaal’s side have beaten the Foxes in the last 6 meetings at Old Trafford (All Competitions), their last defeat coming in the Premier League in 1998-99 – the same season United won the treble.
Manchester United
- United have won their last 6 Premier League games at home, keeping clean sheets in five of them.
- They have conceded just 7 goals in 17 league games at home and have kept the highest number of clean sheets in the Premier League this campaign.
Leicester City
- The Foxes have kept clean sheets in seven of their last 9 Premier League games. They have not lost in the league since Valentine’s Day.
- They boast the best away record in the Premier League, with 37 points from 17 games.
- Riyad Mahrez – who was voted the PFA Player of the Season – has scored 17 goals and assisted a further 11 this season in the league.
Key Battles
Anthony Martial vs Danny Simpson
The French winger was nearly unstoppable in the FA Cup semi-final, giving Mo Besic a day to forget to Wembley. Can he repeat his fleet-footed dribbling and mazy runs against much stiffer competition in Danny Simpson?
Marcos Rojo vs Riyad Mahrez
A similar battle on the same side of the pitch, but on the opposite half of the centre-line. Can the PFA Player of the Year work his magic against the Argentine fullback?
Prediction
Manchester United 2-1 Leicester City
United’s youth players are in dazzling form and one feels that their pace in the attacking third will be the attribute that will inflict just a fourth defeat of the season for Claudio Ranieri’s side – meaning that they have to wait an extra week before they may officially be crowned Premier League champions.
Betting Odds (Bet 365)
Manchester United – 2.10
Draw – 3.5
Leicester City – 3.75
