Tottenham Hotspur will be aiming to get over their UEFA Champions League disappointment as they travel to the King Power Stadium to take on Leicester City in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.
Despite having built a two-goal lead against Greek side Olympiacos in their opening group game, the North-Londoners were held to a draw, something they will be aiming to rectify in the East-Midlands as they attempt to chase down Manchester City and Liverpool.
Elsewhere, Leicester's hopes of European football were given somewhat of a blow last time out as they fell to a slender 1-0 defeat at the hands of Manchester United. They still sit fifth though and could potentially go third with a victory against Spurs.
Key Battle
One man always key to Leicester’s hopes of winning any match is striker Jamie Vardy. Having scored 82 Premier League goals since his debut in the competition back in 2014, he has netted just under a third of the club’s total in the competition.
Combining his blistering pace with lethal finishing ability, he has developed into one of the most clinical forwards in the entire top-flight. He has also started this season in great form having scored three goals in the opening five Premier League matches. However, he was blunted in last weekend’s loss to the Red Devils – a huge reason as to why Brendan Rodgers’ men were not able to impose themselves as much as people predicted.
One of the men tasked with job of keeping the former England international quiet is centre-back Davinson Sanchez. The Colombian defender has impressed for Tottenham ever since moving from Ajax and had played every minute of the season so far before last weekend’s 4-0 thumping of Crystal Palace.
He was shoe-horned in at right-back in the recent North London derby and against Olympiacos though, a position that he did not look totally comfortable in. If he is picked in that position again, he could come up against an extreme test in Vardy.
What happened last time?
The sides last met in an intriguing tie at Wembley Stadium in February 2019. Then Leicester boss Claude Puel took his team to the capital looking to continue their push for Europa League football however it was not meant to be as the Foxes fell to a 3-1 defeat.
The scoreline did not tell the full story though as Leicester impressed. They created numerous chances on the day but could not quite finish them off.
Sanchez gave the hosts the lead in the first-half from a corner, with Christian Eriksen doubling the lead mid-way through the second period. Leicester earned a foothold as Vardy finished off an eye-catching team move but that was not to last as a late strike from Heung Min-Son saw a clinical Tottenham claim victory.
Team News
The hosts do not have too many injury worries to contend with for the weekend's match with only long-term absentees Matty James and Daniel Amartey still ruled out. Ben Chilwell has been missing from training but should be fit in time.
Vardy, who has had a hand in eight goals in nine Premier League appearances against Tottenham including netting in his last three matches against them, will no doubt lead the line and will be keen to get on the scoresheet once again.
Whilst his strike-rate is impressive, it is nothing compared to his former international team-mate Harry Kane. The England captain has scored more goals against Leicester than any other team throughout his career having found the net 13 times in only 12 appearances in all competitions.
With Spurs having only taken to the field on Wednesday, there could well be a different complexion to the side fielded in Athens. Son could return, as could Serge Aurier after putting in an impressive showing in the recent win over Palace.
However, Giovani Lo Celso, Ryan Sessegnon and Juan Foyth all remain restricted to the sidelines.
Predicted Line-Ups
Leicester City: Schmeichel; Pereira, Soyuncu, Evans, Chilwell; Ndidi, Choudhury, Tielemans; Maddison, Vardy, Barnes.
Tottenham Hotspur: Lloris; Aurier, Sanchez, Alderweireld, Rose; Ndombele, Eriksen, Winks; Son, Moura, Kane.
Managers' Thoughts
Following a somewhat stuttering start to the season, Spurs boss Pochettino has recognised that his players have not played to their full potential and is looking for a better performance at the King Power Stadium.
Talking in his pre-match press conference, he said: "The most important is the players realise we need to work hard and improve.
"That is the most important, but in 10 months always in different periods you have up and down and how we start the season we were not at our best, but our effort must be massive to improve in all the areas where we need to improve."
Meanwhile, Brendan Rodgers has suggested that his side have moved on from their disappointment against the Red Devils last weekend and are looking for a reaction.
The Northern-Irishman said: “I didn’t think we deserved to lose the game, there wasn’t much in it. It wasn’t a great game of football. But for us, over the five games, we have shown a wonderful resilience which is very good going forward.
“We have been very strong, defensively we haven’t conceded many chances and in spells, we have shown a really good level.”