2023-24 FA Cup: Fifth Round – Bournemouth vs Leicester

Bournemouth host Leicester City at the Vitality Stadium in a Fifth Round tie within the 2023-24 FA Cup.

Victory would see either Bournemouth or Leicester reach the Quarter-Finals for the first time since 2020-21 season, which coincidentally was the season when Leicester won the title.

 

Team News

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Lloyd Kelly is ruled out for Bournemouth after he missed the Cherries’ Premier League loss to Manchester City with a hip injury.

James Hill (ankle), Max Aarons (muscle), Ryan Fredericks (calf) and Tyler Adams (hamstring) remain absent.

Leicester will again be without striker, Jamie Vardy after he missed their Championship defeat at Leeds with a muscle injury.

Defender, Jannik Vestergaard will be available despite picking up his 10th booking of the season at Leeds, because his two-match ban only applies to league fixtures.

Wilfried Ndidi (leg) remains sidelined.

 

When is Kick-Off?

Bournemouth host Leicester at 7:45pm GMT on Tuesday 27 February at the Vitality Stadium, live on BBC iPlayer in the UK.

 

Stat Attack

• This is Bournemouth’s first FA Cup tie against Leicester.
• Leicester are playing away at Bournemouth in the FA Cup for the first time, although the Foxes won their only away tie to Bournemouth in the 1969-70 League Cup by 2-0 result.
• Philip Billing has scored for Bournemouth in each of their last two meetings against Leicester in all competitions (W2).
• All eight of Bournemouth’s FA Cup goals this season were scored by eight different goalscorers.
• Leicester have scored three goals in each of their two FA Cup ties this season, with four goals scored after half-time.

 

Prediction

Currently sat pretty comfortably mid-table in the Premier League, Bournemouth can afford to throw their weight into this cup run but they need to be more clinical than they were against Man City in an otherwise solid performance – where just one mistake simply cost them a draw.

Leicester meanwhile are in a similar position at the top of the Championship but after a late defensive collapse at Leeds, they need to just reset and come out fighting because they have nothing to lose if can just cut out their late defensive silliness.

I therefore do expect this game to be pretty close but Bournemouth should have the edge here if they can just avoid the same frustrations that they experienced last weekend.

Prediction: Bournemouth 2-1 Leicester

Result: Bournemouth 0-1 (AET) Leicester