Chelsea will face Leicester on Saturday afternoon full of a new feeling – optimism.
The Blues have won two games in a row for the first time in five months, with that second victory coming in emphatic fashion against a high-flying Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League in midweek.
Their positivity isn’t shared by Leicester, whose recent defeat to fellow strugglers Southampton has ramped up the pressure on Brendan Rodgers. The Foxes are just two points and one bad set of results away from dropping back into the relegation zone.
Here’s all you need to know about this one.
Leicester vs Chelsea H2H Results (Last Five Games)
Current Form (Last Five Games)
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Leicester team news
Jonny Evans is back in team training but is expected to be kept out of competitive action for a little while as he readjusts to things. He’ll remain on the sidelines alongside Victor Kristiansen, Youri Tielemans and James Justin.
The fresh concern for Rodgers involves winger Harvey Barnes, who picked up a knock and was substituted at half-time against Southampton. Just how fit he is remains to be seen.
Jannik Vestergaard is also reported to have been banished to the Under-21 side after criticising Rodgers in an interview, but since he is yet to play a Premier League minute this season, that absence won’t be felt too much.
Leicester predicted lineup (4-2-3-1): Ward; Pereira, Faes, Souttar, Castagne; Ndidi, Dewsbury-Hall; Tete, Maddison, Barnes; Iheanacho
Chelsea team news
Mason Mount should return to the Chelsea squad after sitting out the Dortmund win through suspension, although this game may come too soon for N’Golo Kante as he prepares to return from a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Edouard Mendy, Thiago Silva and Armando Broja all remain out, while Cesar Azpilicueta is still being analysed after his nasty head injury against Southampton.
Chelsea predicted lineup (3-4-3): Kepa; Fofana, Koulibaly, Cucurella; James, Fernandez, Kovacic, Chilwell; Sterling, Havertz, Felix
Graham Potter is still going to feel like he’s one loss away from the sack, and realistically, a defeat here would be bad enough to justify that sort of pressure.
Chelsea have some momentum and must translate that into success against a Leicester side tipped by many to sleepwalk themselves right back into a relegation battle. The Blues feel like obvious favourites, but they were when they faced Southampton after the first clash with Dortmund.
There’s reason for hope this time around, and a similar performance to the one in midweek would guide Chelsea to a routine victory.
Prediction: Leicester 0-2 Chelsea
Credit: 90min.com
