Leicester City play host to Newcastle United on Saturday, with both sides looking to finish off the season with a flourish.
The hosts come into the game in eighth place, three points behind Burnley ahead of them. A seventh-place finish, could see the Foxes in European competition again, depending on the winners of the FA Cup, so that will be Claude Puel’s focus going into the final run-in.
Newcastle meanwhile, sit in 12th position, on 35 points. Another three points should almost guarantee them Premier League football next season, despite all of the issues currently going on behind the scenes at St. James Park.
Positive form for both sides
Puel’s men are on a high, following their 2-0 win over Brighton and Hove Albion last weekend, with goals from Vicente Iborra and Jamie Vardy sealing the win for the Foxes. Leicester are also without defeat in four league games now, winning one and drawing the other two.
The Magpies are also in some form of their own, winning their last two games against Southampton and Huddersfield. However, they haven’t won away from home, since New Years Day, when they defeated Stoke City 1-0.
History favours the Foxes
The previous meeting between the two sides, back in December, finished in a 3-2 win for Leicester, as Ayoze Perez scored an own goal in the 86th minute, to give the Foxes all three points in a classic encounter. Riyad Mahrez and Demarai Gray also scored for Leicester, while goals from Joselu and Dwight Gayle, were not enough for Newcastle.
Newcastle have lost their last five meetings with Leicester in all competitions, with their last win over City coming nearly four years ago.
Team News
Leicester will be without powerhouse midfielder, Wilfred N'didi, after his sending off last week at Brighton last weekend. Matty James will miss the rest of the season with an achilles problem.
Jamie Vardy has netted six times in his last eight Premier League games so will surely be looking to continue his red-hot form this weekend.
Mo Diame faces a battle to be fit, after being taken off during the later stages of their win over Huddersfield, and Leicester loanee Islam Slimani, is ineligible for the clash against his parent club.
Predicted line-ups:
Leicester City: Schmeichel, Simpson, Chilwell, Maguire, Morgan, Iborra, Silva, Mahrez, Albrighton, Okazaki, Vardy.
Newcastle United: Dubravka, Yedlin, Dummett, Lascelles, Lejeune, Shelvey, Diame, Ritchie, Kenedy, Perez, Gayle.