Date: Saturday 1st February 2020
Venue: King Power Stadium
Kick-off: 12:30 GMT
There were as many fireworks from Chelsea’s (lack of) deadline day activity as there were from the Brexiters yesterday but for completely different reasons.
Most see our
lack of signings as a lack of backing for Lampard but the calibre of signings
for most around us in the window, suggests the window simply didn’t offer the
sort of players we need for anything resembling a sensible price. So yes, Frank
wanted to bring players in but acknowledged himself it’s not as straightforward
as that.
So, no
new signings to put a spring in our steps for today’s game, at a Stadium where
we don’t have a bad record at all. The draw against 10-man Arsenal did nothing
to inspire and we followed that up by making hard work of the win over Hull in
the FA Cup, so third place Leicester City, might feel a step too far right now.
Leicester haven’t been all that consistent either and lost late
on to Aston Villa in the FA Cup last time out, but they still have the better
head-to-head in recent matches, putting together a four-game unbeaten streak in
the Premier League.
Overall then the wounded animal against a side with an innate ability to
drop soft points this season suggests we probably haven’t seen the last of the
fireworks for one week.
MANAGER’S VIEWS
Going
into today’s game, Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers, says “An exciting game for us. Frank’s done a fantastic job,
taking over a team that had lost their best player, so he had to galvanise
them. Everyone talks about the ban and that Frank was forced to use the young
players, but that’s not the case. He could have played Giroud or Batshuayi up
front, but he’s played Abraham. He and his staff have done a fantastic job.”
Meanwhile, Chelsea
manager Frank Lampard, whilst a man of few words during the press conference,
had this to say on the opposition manager “My
personal relationship with him is more here. I have a huge respect for him. He
produces players and coaches. His first team staff shows that. He stuck out for his thirst for knowledge.”
SQUAD NEWS
For Leicester, Wes Morgan (illness)
and Nampalys Mendy (knee) remain out but Jamie Vardy is available.
For Chelsea, Ruben Loftus-Cheek
(Achilles), van Ginkel (ACL), and Christian Pulisic remain out, whilst Tammy
Abraham (ankle) faces a late fitness test.
TEAMS
LEICESTER (Possible
line-up): Schmeichel; Pereira, Evans, Soyuncu, Chilwell; Praet, Ndidi, Tielemans;
Perez, Maddison, Vardy
CHELSEA (Possible
line-up): Kepa; Azpilicueta, Zouma, Rudiger, Alonso; Kante; Jorginho; Kovacic; Willian,
Mount; Batshuayi.
LAST SEASON
Leicester 0-0 Chelsea (12th May 2019)
CURRENT FORM (PL)
LEICESTER: LWWLLW
CHELSEA: LWDWLD
OTHER STUFF
- Leicester are
unbeaten in their past four Premier League games against Chelsea.
- Chelsea have won
five of their last seven Premier League away matches against Leicester.
- Chelsea have won
six matches at the King Power Stadium in all competitions, more than any other
visiting team.
- The home team were
winless in the six most recent league meeting.
- Leicester are
unbeaten against London sides under Brendan Rodgers, winning seven of 10
top-flight matches.
- Leicester have won
five league games in a row against opposition from the capital.
- Chelsea have won
one of their last four league fixtures, and four of their last 12.
- Leicester have lost
two of their past three Premier League home matches but had lost just one of
their previous 15 at home.
- Chelsea have won
one of their last four league fixtures, and four of their last 12.
- Chelsea have lost
eight times in the league this season, as often as they did in the whole of
2018-19.
PREDICTION
BBC Sport: Leicester 2-0 Chelsea
Sky Sports: Leicester 1-1 Chelsea
Sportsmole: Leicester 3-1 Chelsea