Leicester City look to continue their Premier League title bid as they welcome Southampton to the King Power Stadium.
A win will see Leicester temporarily reduce their gap to leaders – Liverpool down to ten points, whilst Southampton look to climb into the top ten but only if Arsenal and Everton lose elsewhere and they take victory.
Team news
Embed from Getty ImagesJames Maddison is a doubt for Leicester after suffering concussion at the end of Leicester’s Carabao Cup clash against Aston Villa on Wednesday.
Wilfred Ndidi (knee), Wes Morgan (groin) and Daniel Amartey are all ruled out, although Matty James is currently rebuilding his match fitness following a lengthy calf injury.
Southampton have a near full squad available for selection as Yan Valery remains sidelined with a viral infection.
Form
Leicester have taken just seven points from their last five league games, but have kept just two clean sheets in their last five home games (W3, D1, L1).
Southampton are unbeaten in their last four league matches (W3, D1) and have scored in each of their last 12 games across all competitions.
Stat Attack
- Leicester have lost just one of their last five meetings with Southampton in all competitions (W3, D1, L1).
- Three of the last four meetings between these teams at the King Power Stadium have finished goalless.
- Leicester’s last ten goals in this league fixture have come from six different goalscorers, with Ayoze Perez and Jamie Vardy scoring hat-tricks during a 9-0 win at St Mary’s in October.
- Southampton have picked up six red cards in this fixture to Leicester’s none, although the Foxes have received 34 yellow cards to the Saints’ 30.
- Leicester’s James Maddison has played a joint league-high 14 through balls this season, alongside Manchester City’s Kevin de Bruyne.
Prediction
Leicester have bounced back from their Xmas wobble brilliantly with four dominant performances over the last fortnight, so surely have to fancy their chances of producing another classy performance against the Saints.
Southampton meanwhile need to focus on their recent progress and keep thoughts of October’s nine goal mauling out of their minds, because if they do let those thoughts get in then this could become another bruising defeat and undo their hard work of the last month.
I therefore am expecting a good game between these two teams but with the title still within sight, Leicester should be able to grind out a win here.
Prediction: Leicester 2-1 Southampton
Result: Leicester 1-2 Southampton