Who could have imagined that after 13 Premier league rounds, Leicester City would sit on the top, and that Jamie Vardy would score in 10 games in a row? But the real test for Foxes comes this Saturday when they host the best defense and the second placed team Manchester United, who failed to score in four of their last seven games.
In the last two games between these two sides home teams celebrated and it’s interesting that in those two games, 12 goals was scored.
If someone predicted a top spot for Leicester City after 13 rounds before the kick-off of the new season, most likely he would be declared as “crazy” for the simple reason as Leicester was the leading candidate for relegation from the Premier League last season, but thanks to an amazing season finale Foxes managed to avoid Premier league drop.
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Still it was not enough for Nigel Pearson to keep his job, as because of some semi-private, and club reasons he was fired and on the bench sat the Italian Claudio Ranieri. He kept the same team, changed almost nothing, but somehow emerged Jamie Vardy, a man, who for a few years was playing in the 4th league and was wearing the prison bracelet, and now he plays for the English national team and is one close to break some records by the number of consecutive games in which he scored a goal.
Against Newcastle United in the 45th minute, Vardy scored his 10th in a row, and that before him has managed to do Ruud van Nistelrooy for Manchester United. It’s clear that Vardy’s skills will be on the test this Saturday as on the other side will stand the league’s best defence. It’s interesting that all 28 goals which Foxes have scored, were scored from inside the penalty box.
Leicester City is currently in a series of four consecutive victories, of which the last one was against Newcastle (away) 3-0. It was only the second one in which Ranieri’s men did not concede any, so the boss took them on Pizza, to boost team morale even further.
However there was and a bad side of this story as in the League Cup, after a penalty shoot-out Hull City knocked Ranieri’s men, but perhaps it was for the best as the Foxes now can fully focus on the continuation of this fairy tale in the Premier league competition.
Vardy might be on a grear run but he’s not the only one responsible for amazing first place, there are still a lot of factors that have come together and once again it should be emphasized that Leicester players play without pressure and imperative, and that is Foxes’ great advantage so far and a reason if you bet to back up Leicester not to lose this game.
For the club official website, Ranieri said:
“Sooner or later we will lose, but this team has shown great character, great fighting spirit
“We’re top of the league but it’s not important now. I want to see the horses at the end of the race. Now is not important.
“What’s important for us is we have 28 fewer points to achieve our goal [of 40 points]. Now we are very focused on our goal.”
As for the lineup for the match with United, we believe that there will be no changes in comaparison with a game vs Newcastle, particularly because only from before injured midfielder James is out, while Vardy despite being a doubt for this game, most likely will play.
Ahead of their top-of-the-table clash with Manchester United, Claudio Ranieri says Leicester’s goal remains to reach 40 points.
If sensational Leicester is at the top, then Manchester United is delighted to be on the second because behind the Red Devils are real contenders for the title because Leicester surely is not. Manchester United in the last four rounds enrolled two wins and two draws which are the reason they sit at the moment on the second having one point less.
But what worries is recent performance from Louis van Gaal’s men who were very lucky so far in a lot of games, including the last one against Watford when with one clumsy own goal of Deeney, Man Utd snatched all three points.
Even bigger problem Luis van Gaal and his side had on Wednesday against PSV in the Champions League who at home played only 0:0 and now they will probably need to win in the last round in Wolfsburg, if they want to secure the last 16 place.
LVG’s men are having problems to create goal opportunities and to score more goals, and while this does not change it can easily happen that Red Devils drop on the table. The current second place is actually a great achievement with Man Utd’s perfomance, although we must point out again that United has the best defense of the league, which conceded only nine goals in 13 games.
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal speaks ahead of his side’s English Premier League trip to Leicester City on Saturday (28th November).
Louis van Gaal, Manchester United manager (asked if Leicester City can win the English Premier League season):
“Normally, this kind of clubs, can…. be a long time competing, but normally at the end, it’s more difficult. But, in England, because of the quality of the teams, because every team has the money to buy players, and difference in the Premier League between the clubs is not so high. So it is possible, I think.”
Speaking for the club official website, Ashley Young said that his team-mates are focused on Premier league’s clash with Leicester City, that they want keep up the good form and possibly to take all three points against the EPL leaders.
“Leicester are the leaders, so this is a top-of-the-table clash. “We’ll be looking to keep up the good form we’ve shown in the league over the last few weeks, and hopefully get the three points.”
Mata and Fellaini should be back for this game (missed the game vs PSV), while due to injury still are sidelined defenders Jones and Shaw, midfielders Herrera, Carrick and Valencia.
Team Probable lineups
Leicester City: Schmeichel – Simpson, Huth, Morgan, Fuchs – Albrighton, Drinkwater, Kante, Schlupp – Mahrez – Vardy
Out: James, Vardy (?)
Manchester United: De Gea – Darmian, Smalling, Blind, Rojo – Schneiderlin, Schweinsteiger – Mata, Rooney, Depay – Martial
Out: Shaw, McNair, Carrick, Valencia, Jones, Herrera