Chelsea will be eager to continue the recent winning streak when they welcome Leicester City to Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Gameweek 28 of the 2024/25 Premier League season will continue on Sunday, which will feature three games. The action on the day will start with two simultaneous fixtures, including Chelsea vs Leicester City at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea once seemed like the dark horse in the Premier League title race after climbing to second in the Premier League standings midway through the 2024/25 campaign. However, the Blues have won only three of their last 11 top-flight matches to go from title contenders to scrambling for a place in the top four.
In addition, Chelsea’s FA Cup campaign did not last beyond the fourth round. However, Enzo Maresca’s men have shown some promising signs in the last seven days, winning their two most recent games. Another victory on Sunday should take the West London club back into the top four.
On the other hand, Leicester City’s brief resurgence under Ruud van Nistelrooy is a distant memory. The Foxes enjoyed a two-game unbeaten run when the Dutch tactician began his spell. However, they have won only one of their last 12 Premier League matches, inching closer to relegation with each passing week. They are five points behind 17th-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The reverse fixture saw Chelsea eke a narrow 2-1 win over Leicester City, with Jordan Ayew scoring a late consolation goal. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Chelsea
Enzo Maresca has no new injury concerns hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Chelsea manager might be bereft of the services of only four first-team players vs Leicester City on Sunday.
Maresca was sweating over Malo Gusto’s fitness after he limped off in the UEFA Europa Conference League game against FC Copenhagen. However, the Frenchman and Romeo Lavia should be fit and available. So, Noni Madueke, Nicolas Jackson, and Marc Guiu are the only injury-enforced absentees as they recover from their hamstring injuries. In addition, Mykhailo Mudryk continues serving his suspension.
Filip Jorgensen should take his spot between the sticks, with Chelsea lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Leicester City on Sunday. The backline should feature Malo Gusto, Trevoh Chalobah, Levi Colwill, and Marc Cucurella.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo, with the former getting some rest earlier this week. Cole Palmer will reprise the no. 10 role, with Jadon Sancho and Christopher Nkunku being the two wide attackers. Finally, Pedro Neto will lead the line for Chelsea against Leicester City on Sunday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Jorgensen; Gusto, Chalobah, Colwill, Cucurella; Enzo Fernandez, Caicedo; Sancho, Palmer, Nkunku; Neto
Leicester City
Unlike his counterpart in the Chelsea dugout, Ruud van Nistelrooy has greeted positive updates on the team news front ahead of the trip to Stamford Bridge. The Leicester City manager might be without only one first-team player on Sunday.
Abdul Fatawu Issahaku is the only absentee, with the Ghanaian attacker recovering from a long-term knee injury. However, Woyo Coulibaly is fit and available, while Ricardo Pereira (hamstring) has resumed training, although Sunday’s game will come too soon for him.
Mads Hermansen is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Leicester City lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Chelsea on Sunday. The backline should feature James Justin, Wout Faes, Jannik Vestergaard, and Victor Kristiansen.
As for the midfield unit, Boubakary Soumare will likely pair up with Wilfred Ndidi in the double pivot. Bilal El Khannouss will reprise the no. 10 role, with Facundo Buonanotte and Stephy Mavidid being the two wide attackers. Finally, Jamie Vardy will spearhead the Leicester City attack against Chelsea on Sunday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Hermansen; Justin, Faes, Vestergaard, Kristiansen; Ndidi, Soumare; Buonanotte, El Khannouss, Mavididi; Vardy
Key Stats
- Chelsea will aim to clinch a fifth consecutive win vs Leicester City in all competitions on Sunday. The Foxes are without a win in their last seven matches against the Blues (D1 L6) in league and cup.
- Chelsea have won only three of their 11 most recent Premier League games. However, Enzo Maresca’s men will aim for a third consecutive home league win this weekend.
- Leicester City have lost 11 of their last 12 Premier League games (W1), earning fewer points than any other side in the division. The Foxes have failed to score in their four most recent top-flight matches, conceding 12 goals. That is their worst goalless drought since 2017.
- Leicester City are the only Premier League side yet to keep a clean sheet away from home this season. The Foxes have managed only one shut-out in their 27 top-flight fixtures in the ongoing campaign, fewer than any other team in the division.
- Pedro Neto has been involved in four goals in his last four Premier League games, recording two goals and two assists.
Player to Watch
Cole Palmer
While Jamie Vardy and Enzo Fernandez were viable candidates for this section, we have picked Cole Palmer as the Player to Watch for Saturday’s game between Chelsea and Leicester City at Stamford Bridge. The English international has endured a bizarre loss in form in the last few weeks, and he will be desperate to correct that this weekend.
Palmer has not scored or assisted in any of his last six Premier League games, his longest drought since joining Chelsea over 18 months ago. So, the 22-year-old will be eager to set the record straight and deliver the goods in the final third against one of the worst teams in the Premier League.
Prediction
Chelsea 3-0 Leicester City
Chelsea’s recent struggles might have given Leicester City some hope ahead of the meeting between the two sides. However, the Foxes have been even more dreadful, failing to find the back of the net in their last four Premier League outings. In addition, they do not keep clean sheets, period.
So, Chelsea should produce a performance similar to last week when they cruised to a run-of-the-mill win over Southampton. The visitors do not have the quality to trouble the West London outfit, and The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-0 win for Enzo Maresca and his charges.
