Leicester City will be hoping to extend their winning run to six games in all competitions when they lock horns with Wolves on Sunday.
Leicester City have once again kick-started their campaign on a positive note, having secured 15 points from six matches in the Premier League. They are fourth in the table heading into the game, just a point behind leaders Southampton and second-placed Liverpool. And on Sunday, they will be looking to maintain the pressure on the top two as they take on Wolves.
The Foxes have been on a fiery run of form of late, securing five consecutive wins in all competitions. Their most recent triumph came in the UEFA Europa League in midweek as they beat Braga 4-0, moving one step closer towards securing a place in the knockout rounds. A tactical masterclass last weekend also saw Leicester beat Leeds United 4-1 in their latest Premier League fixture.
However, getting the better of the Wolves defence could turn out to be a much trickier task for Brendan Rodgers’s men this weekend. The West Midlands outfit are regarded as one of the most disciplined teams in the Premier League and have notably kept three clean sheets in their last four league matches, most recently in the 2-0 win against Crystal Palace last weekend.
Wolves are also standing pretty in the eighth position with 13 points on the board, meaning a win on Sunday could help them overtake Leicester City, as well as Chelsea and Everton and potentially, Tottenham, who take on West Brom earlier in the day. Here, at The Hard Tackle, we will run the rule over these two sides ahead of their exciting contest at the King Power Stadium.
Team News & Tactics
Leicester City
The hosts continue to plagued by injuries to key players with Caglar Soyuncu, Wilfred Ndidi, Timothy Castagne and Ricardo Pereira all ruled out for Sunday along with Daniel Amartey.
There is some good news, though, with Jonny Evans expected to be available for selection against Wolves, subject to him clearing a late fitness test. Same goes for James Maddison, who picked up an injury against Braga but played through it. Brendan Rodgers is expected to make a few changes to the side that triumphed in the Europa League on Thursday night.
No alteration is likely in goal, though, with Kasper Schmeichel the undisputed first-choice between the sticks. Evans is unlikely to be rushed back into action, meaning James Justin, Wesley Fofana and Christian Fuchs once again form the three-man defence, with Marc Albrighton and Luke Thomas starting as the wing-backs.
Youri Tielemans, who has come into his own of late, was on target twice against Leeds United and is a certainty in the middle of the park. However, there will be a change of partners for the Belgian, with Nampalys Mendy, who has been one of Leicester’s best players this season, starting in the double pivot.
Maddison’s injury means that Rodgers might not look to start him on Sunday, while Cengiz Under could once again be used as an impact substitute much like last weekend. That would mean Harvey Barnes and Dennis Praet take up the two attacking midfield slots against Wolves, with Jamie Vardy spearheading the attack ahead of Kelechi Iheanacho.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Schmeichel; Justin, Fofana, Fuchs; Albrighton, Tielemans, Mendy, Thomas; Praet, Barnes; Vardy
Wolves
Unlike Leicester City, Wolves have a pretty short injury list, with wing-backs Jonny Castro and Marcal the only players unavailable for selection on Sunday. Manager Nuno Espirito Santo will not look to make many changes to the lineup that got the better of Crystal Palace last weekend.
Nuno speaks ahead of #LEIWOL…
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— Wolves (@Wolves) November 6, 2020
There is no looking past the reliable presence of Rui Patricio in goal for the Black Country outfit. He will be shielded by a three-man defence comprising of Willy Boly, captain Conor Coady and youngster Max Kilman, who has impressed heavily of late.
Summer signings Nelson Semedo and Rayan Ait-Nouri, who scored in the last game, ought to be the two wing-backs for the visiting side. The duo will flank the central midfield partnership of Leander Dendoncker and Ruben Neves, who will pose a threat from set-pieces as well as his long-distance shots. Joao Moutinho is an option from the bench.
Pedro Neto and Daniel Podence, who was on target against Palace in the last game, ought to be the two wide-attacking midfielders while star striker Raul Jimenez leads the line for Wolves. In Adama Traore and Fabio Silva, Nuno has plenty of firepower on the bench to call upon if needed.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Patricio; Boly, Coady, Kilman; Semedo, Dendoncker, Neves, Ait-Nouri; Neto, Podence; Jimenez
Betting Odds
Favourable Bets
- Leicester vs Wolves – Both Teams to Score – YES @
Hot Ones
- Wolves to beat Leicester @ 3.25
Key Stats
- Leicester City have lost just one of their last 23 home league games against Wolves (W13 D9). That defeat came in the 2006/07 Championship season.
- In the top tier, Wolves are winless in their last ten away games against Leicester (D4 L6). Their last win in the division on the road to Foxes came in December 1971.
- No team has won more Premier League games than Leicester City so far this season (5), while only Chelsea (20) and Tottenham Hotspur (18) have scored more goals than Brendan Rodgers’s side (17).
- Wolves are unbeaten in their last four Premier League games (W3 D1), earning as many points (10) in this run as they had from their previous nine fixtures (W3 D1 L5).
- Leicester City have lost three of their last four home Premier League games (W1), as many as in their previous 20 at the King Power Stadium.
Player to Watch
Jamie Vardy
Last season’s Premier League Golden Boot winner has carried on in his merry goalscoring ways in the new campaign, already netting seven goals in six games – as many as he had in his previous 19 appearances in the competition.
After a brilliant all-round performance against Leeds United last weekend, which saw him score and assist one goal apiece, the Englishman will once again be the main man for the Foxes as they look to dismantle a tight Wolves defensive unit on Sunday.
Prediction
Leicester City 1-1 Wolves
Leicester are on a five-game winning streak in all competitions, but Wolves are also undefeated in their last four matches, making it an enticing battle at the King Power on Sunday. On one hand, the Foxes have scored eight times in their last two fixtures but on the other hand, the Wolves defence has let in just one goal in their last four.
It is likely to be a tightly-contested battle, with Leicester’s attacking might being matched by a resolute Wolves rearguard. And that is why we at The Hard Tackle are predicting that the spoils will be shared between the two teams this weekend.
