Leicester City VAVELFULL TIME
West Bromwich Albion vs Leicester City: Live Stream TV Updates and How to Watch Premier League Match 2020 (0-3)
That's it from us!
That's it from us as Leicester win their first away game since New Year's Day thanks to goals from Castagne and a Vardy double from the spot.
Thanks for joining us and be sure to keep up with all the news and reaction right here on VAVEL!
Difficult start for the Baggies
It was a tough opening day for Bilic and his side...
Belgian brilliance
Leicester's Belgian boys got the Foxes up and running for the season.
Vardy haunts The Hawthorns
Jamie Vardy scores once again, but doesn't let the lack of fans at the standium stand in the way of his rustling....
The next match for both sides
West Brom now turn their attention to the Carabao Cup second round and Harrogate Town, while Leicester return to action at the King Power Stadium with a game against Burnley.
Full time! West Brom 0-3 Leicester
It's full time at The Hawthorns as a familiar result occurs. Leicester win and Vardy scores.
After a cagey first half for both teams, a dominant performance by Leicester in the second 45 minutes blew the Baggies away.
The scoring was opened by debutant Timothy Castagne, who rose highest in the box to head the ball into the net powerfully, before two Vardy penalties took the game out of the reach of the newly promoted side.
West Brom 0-3 Leicester
91' A loose pass by Tielemans allows Robson-Kanu in but the striker blazes his shot far over the bar.
West Brom 0-3 Leicester
There will be three added minutes.
West Brom 0-3 Leicester
86' West Brom make their first meaningful attack of the half, but their shot is blocked brilliantly by the stretching Justin.
GOAL! West Brom 0-3 Leicester
83' VARDY FROM THE SPOT ONCE AGAIN!
James Justin got brought down in the box, allowing Vardy to put the ball down on the spot once again.
The striker slots the ball home with another unsaveable penalty, securing all three points for his side and putting himself one goal off Salah in the race for the golden boot.
West Brom 0-2 Leicester
78' Good link up play for the Foxes saw Barnes with the ball in a good area but the winger could not get enough bend on his shot snd it whistled just wide.
West Brom 0-2 Leicester
75' Leicester make their second change as Praet makes way for the returning Maddison.
GOAL! West Brom 0-2 Leicester
73' WHO ELSE?
Vardy continues is hot scoring streak at The Hawthorns ater nestling his penalty into the bottom corner.
He then walks over to the empty stand and cups his ears.
West Brom 0-1 Leicester
72' PENALTY FOR LEICESTER!
Barnes breaks into the final third and Vardy is brought down in the box before Barnes could find him....
West Brom 0-1 Leicester
67' Vardy is currently down recieving treatment after his high press saw him clash with Johnstone.
West Brom use the stoppage to make changes as Sawyers comes on for Edwards, while Furlong is replaced by Harper as they move to a back four.
West Brom 0-1 Leicester
65' Leicester make their first change as Albrighton comes on to replace Perez.
West Brom 0-1 Leicester
63' Tielemans' resulting freekick tests Johnstone from very far out, though it is a save that would have been expected to be made.
West Brom 0-1 Leicester
62' Ajayi becomes the first West Brom player in the book after a crunching tackle on Barnes.
West Brom 0-1 Leicester
60' Leicester put the ball in the back of the net after Perez stretches at the goal line, but Barnes' initial shot strikes Vardy who was stood in an offside position.
West Brom make the first change of the match as Robson-Kanu comes in to replace Robinson.
GOAL! West Brom 0-1 Leicester
55' CASTAGNE!
A dream debut for the Belgian as he connects well with Praet's cross to the back post to head the ball into the top corner.
A goal made in Belgium.
West Brom 0-0 Leicester
47' West Brom enjoy possession in the opening minutes of the second half, but Leicester break well, though Justin's low cross to Vardy was cut out before it could reach the number 9.
Second half!
We are back underway!
Promising debut so far
Debutant Timothy Castagne in the thick of the action.
Half time!
It's half time as the score remains 0-0.
In what was a bright start by the Baggies, they failed to trouble Schmeichel, with the first proper chances of the game coming from Barnes and his Leicester team who grew into the game.
No outstanding saves have had to be made so far and the 0-0 score line is probably a fair reflection of the half.
A big second half is needed for both sides.
West Brom 0-0 Leicester
41' A menacing low ball into the box troubles Schmeichel, but the move ends after Robinson commits a handball trying to keep it alive.
West Brom 0-0 Leicester
35' Vardy turns the defenders and is denied by Johnstone once again before the flag is raised for offside.
Vardy's first real sniff at goal.
West Brom 0-0 Leicester
31' Leicester attack once again and once again, Johnstone denies Barnes, before his follow-up shot bounces off his shin and out of play.
Leicester starting to ask plenty of questions now.
West Brom 0-0 Leicester
29' Leicester find themselves in a very promising position and Barnes' shot stings the palms of Johnstone. Either side of the keeper and it was 1-0.....
West Brom 0-0 Leicester
27' Barnes threads the ball through to Perez, but his first touch sees the ball lost in his feet and the ball is cleared.
West Brom 0-0 Leicester
20' The Foxes make their first meaningful attack and Castagne puts in a cross in a very dangerous area but there was noone there to connect.
West Brom 0-0 Leicester
17' The freekick hits the wall and goes out for a corner which comes to nothing.
West Brom 0-0 Leicester
James Justin finds himself out of position and takes down Furlong just outside of the box, picking up a yellow card in the process.
West Brom have a freekick in a tricky area for the Foxes.
West Brom 0-0 Leicester
8' West Brom have started the brighter of the two sides and are starting to knock on the door with neat build-up play.
West Brom 0-0 Leicester
6' Ndidi gifts West Brom a corner after a strong back pass evaded Schmeichel in goal.
The resulting corner is well defended by Vardy.
West Brom 0-0 Leicester
2' Castagne starts on the right and is faced by West Brom's record signing Grady Diangana.
Kick off!
The 2020/21 season is underway! (A little bit late after the goals were sorted out....)
The players take the knee and the ball is kicked off!
The teams emerge
Both teams step out on the pitch, with the home side in their classic home kit, while the away side show off their maroon strip for the first time.
Premier League is back at The Hawthorns
West Brom prepare for their return to the Premier League, but will it be a successful season for the Baggies?
Fox on the hunt
Will this man notch his first goal of the season today? History at The Hawthorns would suggest so....
No fans for the start of the season
The first whistle will not be met by roaring fans, bursting with anticipation, but by empty seats.
Thoughts for the match
With what has been quite a disrupted pre-season, the opening portion of the match could prove to be very cagey. Both teams will want to get a feel of the ball and settle down quickly.
West Brom looks to be coming out with a back three, meaning they will play a formation that they had not used as much last season. This shift gives the Baggies more cover at the back for the likes of Vardy and Harvey Barnes who will be looking to penetrate the back line with their pace.
On the subject of Barnes, the young winger enjoyed a successful loan spell with today's opposition, but will be looking to come back to haunt his old side.
Leicester too make changes to their back line, although the changes are forced through a lack of options. Ndidi will play alongside Soyuncu in the heart of defence, while Castagne and Justin, who can both play on either flank, make up the rest of the back four. It is unclear which fullback will play in which position, but it would be thought that Castagne will play on the left to prepare for the return of Ricardo Pereira.
The Hawthorns have proved a happy hunting ground for Vardy and Leicester in the past, but every season is different and nothing can be seen as a given in the Premier League.
Leicester starting XI
Here is the Leicester 11 for today. Ndidi starts in the back four alongside debutant Timothy Castagne.
The first Foxes XI of the 2020/21 season, brought to you by @eToro 🔵#WbaLei
— Leicester City (@LCFC) September 13, 2020
West Brom starting XI
Here is the home side's first starting XI of the season:
📋 Our first XI of the season.
— West Bromwich Albion (@WBA) September 13, 2020
Here's the side Slaven Bilić has picked for the clash with @LCFC.#WBALEI | #WBA pic.twitter.com/Nn5QqQheaG
Follow us!
Team news will be announced an hour before kick-off at 14:00 and all updates of the match can be found right here!
Make sure you follow us on Twitter @VAVEL and @LeicesterVAVEL to have your say on the match and to keep up to date on all the news!
Brendan Rodgers on the strength of his squad ahead of the new season
Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers believes his squad does not have the required depth to compete in four separate competitions.
When asked, he replied: “No we don’t. That’s something I’ve been pretty clear on.
“I think our idea this year was to improve the squad. The players in this last season, they’ve shown many great moments, and I think for them to improve, it’s going to need time, and work on the training field.
He added: “But also in order to improve, you need quality. That’s something we’ve talked about, and something that we can give the squad in order to help them. There was probably an area where in that last period, when we lost some of our players of quality, in order to rotate, we didn’t have that necessary depth. It was definitely an area we need to improve.”
Slaven Bilic on West Brom's survival hopes
West Brom boss Slaven Bilic has rubbished claims that his side are amongst the favourites for relegation, with the Croatian stating: "I am expecting us to stay up".
"Now we're in the place where we want to be, we're in the place where we'd like to stay.
"We know exactly what we have to do to have a chance of being a protagonist in this league. We are ready."
Turning his attention to the change in quality, he said: "There is a difference. You have to improve. But it is possible [to stay up].
"From last season two out of three stayed up. Sheffield United very comfortably. Villa stayed up. I am not hoping, I am expecting us to stay up."
He added:"We're not going to approach this league or first game as a Championship side who will try to stay.
"No, we deserve to be there. We didn't get the wild card invitation to try this season. We deserved [it] through a very difficult year.
"We sacrificed a lot but now we have to show them we're deserving to be here."
Leicester team news
Wes Morgan, Daniel Amartey, Christian Fuchs all face fitness tests, Filip Benkovic and Ricardo Pereira will miss out through injury and Jonny Evans must serve his suspension after seeing red against Manchester United on the final day.
These defensive woes could see Wilfred Ndidi start at centre back, while new signing Timothy Castagne could make his debut.
James Maddison trained in the week, but also faces a fitness test to see whether he will be included.
West Brom team news
Signing for the Baggies midweek, Callum Robinson will be available after his move from Sheffield United.
Respective calf and ankle problems could see Conor Townsend and Kenneth Zahore miss out on the game.
Last meeting between the sides
The last time the two sides faced off came in 2018 and saw Leicester come off as emphatic winners.
Salomon Rondon opened the scoring within the 10 minute mark to put his side ahead early on. After this however, the game swung heavily in Leicester's favour.
Jamie Vardy equalised in the 21st minute with a goal of the season winning volley that arrowed into the bottom corner, with the score staying at 1-1 at the half time break.
A dominant second half performance by the Foxes, with goals from Riyad Mahrez, Kelechi Iheanacho and a late strike by Vicente Iborra, saw the away side run off as 4-1 winners.
Both teams will be desperate for a win
The opening game of any season is big for every side, but you get the sense that both teams could really do with their respective seasons getting off to the best start.
Looking at the home side, the first objective on the list for West Brom will be to avoid relegation and retain their Premier League status. They will want to pick up the required points as soon as possible to prevent getting dragged into the relegation battle later on in the season and a win on the opening day could go a long way in setting up their season as they mean to go on.
Alternatively, Leicester have European football to contend with this season and last time that was the case, during their Champions League run in 2016/17, their league form suffered. That season, they got off to the worst possible start with a shock 2-1 defeat to another newly promoted side in Hull City, and from then on they struggled for consistency despite being the reigning champions of the league. A win will surely give the Foxes a lot of confidence as they look to improve on their performances from the end of last season that saw them squander their top four place.
Welcome back!
The Premier League is back!
Welcome to the live coverage of Leicester City's opening game away to West Bromwich Albion in what will kick off a bumper season for the Foxes.
The away side have enjoyed travelling to the Hawthorns in recent years, with the current holder of the golden boot, Jamie Vardy, scoring in every single appearance in the league. He will be hoping to notch once again in a bid to retain his trophy.
However, the East Midlands side's numbers are depleted, with their defence especially struggling. West Brom will take confidence in this fact as they look to kick-start their return to the top league with a win.
Kick off at the Hawthorns is due on Sunday at 14:00.