Leicester (H): Pre-match thoughts, team news & predicted line ups

The defeat to Everton was a funny one. We’ve played worse and won this season, yet there’s been a lingering feeling that a result like this was coming. After all, injuries, a thin squad and getting away with some poor performances can only keep you winning for so long?

Bruce is doing a good job, however, and this will be a game he must pick his players up for, with a ruthless Leicester City likely to be rampant if we’re anywhere below our best.

Everton inflicted our first loss at St James’ since the opening day of the season, but hopefully we can stay organised and look much more ‘at it’ in all areas against a Leicester side who’ll be confident and well rested after several key players sat out their 1-2 win at West Ham on Saturday.

Predicted XI

One area we’re struggling in (for once) coming into this one is at centre-back. Lascelles, Clark and Dummett look set to miss out, and Florian Lejeune looked out on his feet over the weekend, struggling badly after 2 games in 48 hours.

I see the Frenchman being rested, meaning Bruce may only have Fernandez and Schar fit for this one – and even the latter is a slight concern after limping off against Everton. With that in mind, might we have to return to a back four here?

That would allow us to at least have a few more bodies in forward areas. I can see Atsu playing with Bruce likely to rotate again. He and Almiron could play out wide, meaning Joelinton would then play off the striker; which could be Gayle if Carroll isn’t deemed ready to start two games in 5 days.

Preferred NUFC XI – (5-2-1-2) – Dubravka – Manquillo, Schar, Fernandez, Clark, Willems – Hayden, Shelvey – Almiron – Joelinton, Carroll.

The Opposition

Here’s ‘ones to watch’ in Brendan Rodgers’ side:

Jamie Vardy – With him currently the league’s top scorer on 17 goals, it’s fair to say this one goes without saying. Everton hurt us with smart runs in behind and in the channels over the weekend, so we’ll need to improve in that area if we’re to keep him quiet. A constant threat on the shoulder and devastating in front of goal when he gets half a chance.

James Maddison – The Foxes’ midfield maestro and a brilliant technician, being capable of creating from corners or scoring from free kicks. Has 5 goals and 5 assists this season and will be pulling the strings alongside Youri Tielemans in a bid to release Vardy.

Caglar Soyuncu – Leicester fans (and most football fans) wondered how they’d cope after ‘failing to replace’ Harry Maguire over the summer, but they look to have found their ‘Turkish Puyol’ in Soyuncu. He’s been outstanding, reading the game brilliantly, aggressive off the ball and cool as a cucumber on it.

Ricardo Perreira – The Portuguese right-back looks a top player and is only getting better. He and Ben Chilwell act as wingers at times, giving them real energy and quality in wide areas.

Predicted Leicester XI – (4-1-4-1) Schmeichel – Perreira, Evans, Soyuncu, Chilwell – Ndidi – Perez, Tielemans, Maddison, Barnes – Vardy.

Team news

It sounds like most of the recently injured players won’t return for this one based on Bruce’s pre-match comments, meaning Ciaran Clark and Paul Dummett could miss out once again.

Florian Lejeune also looked shattered on Saturday, so I expect him to be rested, meaning we may be struggling to stick with our usual formation and field three centre-backs.

Schar and Joelinton limped off over the weekend, but Bruce’s latest comments suggest they may be ok.

Once again, the game will come too soon for Allan Saint-Maximin (hamstring), Jamaal Lascelles (knee) and Matt Ritchie (ankle).

For the visitors, big guns Vardy, Maddison, Soyuncu, Perreira and Chilwell all look set to return after being rested at West Ham over the weekend.

Prediction

We’re already up against it playing the league’s second best side on current standings, but the fact we’ll be missing a few key players and they’ll be welcoming several back after full rests over the weekend leaves me feeling pretty fearful ahead of this one.

I think we’ll have our moments, but with they move the ball quickly, don’t give much away at the back and can be devastating up top with Maddison’s creativity and Vardy’s pace and lethal finishing in front of goal.

I reckon they’ll have too much for us, but what a great start to 2020 it would be if Bruce and the boys proved me wrong!

Prediction:Newcastle 1-3 Leicester

(Fancy writing for us? Send any articles/ideas over to us at [email protected] & we’ll get back to you!)

About Olly Hawkins

As a Junior Magpie since birth and season ticket holder, I eat, sleep and breathe all things NUFC! Here at the blog, I aim to bring you news, views, match reports and transfer exclusives as and when I get them.

96 thoughts on “Leicester (H): Pre-match thoughts, team news & predicted line ups

  1. I haven’t turned on Bruce. I never thought he was good enough but he isn’t as bad as some were saying on twitter and other blogs. He was given too much stick but should never have been appointed. He was also not 11th choice as some have said. I reckon he was probably 2nd or 3rd which shows the “ambition” of our club.

    I still don’t think we will be relegated. Perhaps this will get Fatty to buy a striker?

    Gayle needed a run of games but putting Muto in shows that either Bruce is clueless or they are saving him to sell.

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  2. Just observations, Eric. This is the level we have played at most of the season. We just either got lucky or defenders baled is out by scoring which papered over all the cracks.

    Still would like to know who give the final go ahead to spend £40m on Joelington

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  3. Good news is that I saved $60 by not going to the Pub to watch that ****. $20 to Uber there and back $30 for beer and $10 for fried chicken, up the road from the pub. I had a feeling we would get tonked. Was up in plenty of time but didn’t want to get depressed on the first day of a New Year. I suppose you could say I had 20/20 foresight.

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  4. Results couldn’t have gone worse either. Anyone who doesn’t think were in danger of relegation needs to join me in dry January

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  5. I might do the opposite Stuart. I have a bottle of whiskey in the cupboard. Well, Bourbon. I don’t like Scotch.

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  6. Shocking shocking shi.t… Leicester were not that good but we again gifted them 2 goals…. Joelinton £40million??? Someone is having a laugh… I think he was £10 million and Ashley pocketed the other £30 million through dodgy agents. He was fuc.king shocking… was Muto playing? Did he touch the ball? Lejeune? WTF? He used to be good… how have we gone back to so many injuries… say what you like about Rafa but we didn’t have these numbers of injuries while he was manager. So pissed off… a couple more games and we are back in the relegation zone. ????????????

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  7. Norwich winning too.

    Alarm bells should be ringing loud and clear but I would bet my house Nobody is listening at the club.

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  8. According to Bruce we have 10 players injured. Interesting that the injuries have come back now we have gone back to a basic, average manager.

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  9. Bruce remarkably saying injuries doesn’t change the transfer window. Why does he keep saying they will “try if they can find players who will improve us”? I’d find it virtually impossible not to be able to find any player in the Championship who wouldn’t improve us in attack.

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