Date: Tuesday 19th January 2021
Venue: King Power Stadium
Kick-off: 20:15 GMT
Barely time to bash out the angry, entitled tweets
and even less time to generate traffic streaming rants, and we’re off again.
Tonight’s game sees us away to a Leicester City
side who’ve picked up again, most recently with a 2-0 win over Southampton at
the weekend. Another win tonight would put Leicester top of the table, at least
for 24 hours anyway, as if they need any additional incentive.
For Chelsea,
we also had a win at the weekend but, in spite of ending a three-game winless
run, it will have done little to calm the frenzy that continues to be fuelled by
the anti-Frank brigade. Yes, it was against Fulham, who were down to 10-men for
the second half, but it would have been naïve in the extreme to expect us to
breeze through any London derby, nevermind a derby game that comes at a time
when our confidence and form are vying for bottom spot.
Leicester
definitely won’t be short on confidence against us, we’ve had four draws from
our last five against them and realistically, whilst we’d probably more than
take another one tonight – they won’t come into the game with anything like
that attitude.
MANAGER’S VIEWS
Going into today’s game, Leicester
manager Brendan Rodgers, says “They have got a real squad of top players. Of course with Kante, we know he’s a
top-class player. Unfortunate, but Frank
[Lampard] will always have someone else to come in and do a good job.
Papy
Mendy just has a slight strain in his neck, so we’ll see how he is, but
apart from that, everyone else will be fine. We’ve got a fully fit squad,
virtually, which puts us in a good place.”
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard, meanwhile,
says “Leicester are in
the title race for sure because of the way they are playing, the results they
are getting, and their position in the league. Last season we managed to get
above them at the back end of the season but it was a big ask for us because
they’re a very good team with very good individuals and a very good manager.
They’re
in the race and there are others that are in the race but we have to not
consider the race at the moment and consider ourselves and if we can get wins
that will propel us back up to where we want to be.
It (the title
race) is relatively open, especially compared to recent years. I don’t want to
go that far and say whether we can get in it or not. We’re not in a bad
position – we’ve been in a bad run of form but we can change that picture with
some good results. That’s my point on that one, that it can change
quickly.”
SQUAD NEWS
For Leicester,
Dennis Praet (thigh) remains out and Nampalys Mendy (neck) will be assessed, but Jamie Vardy (hip) is expected to be fit and Caglar Soyuncu could start.
For Chelsea,
having served his suspension, N’Golo Kante (hamstring)
is out injured, whilst
Andreas
Christensen (knee) is back in contention.
TEAMS
LEICESTER (Possible line-up): Schmeichel; Castagne, Fofana, Evans, Justin; Ndidi, Tielemans;
Albrighton, Maddison, Barnes; Vardy
CHELSEA (Possible line-up): Mendy; James, Rudiger, Silva, Chilwell; Jorginho, Kovacic, Mount;
Ziyech, Abraham, Hudson-Odoi
LAST SEASON
Leicester 2-2 Chelsea
(1 February 2020)
CURRENT FORM (PL)
LEICESTER: WLWDDW
CHELSEA: LWLDLW
OTHER STUFF
- Leicester are unbeaten in their past five league
fixtures against Chelsea.
- Chelsea have not lost any of their last seven
league and cup matches at the King Power Stadium.
- Leicester are unbeaten in five league matches.
- Chelsea are winless in five league games this
season against the sides currently above them in the table.
- Four of Leicester’s five league defeats this season
have come at the King Power Stadium.
- Chelsea could lose three consecutive midweek league
fixtures for the first time since 2012.
- Leicester have won each of the last 10 Premier
League fixtures in which they scored the opening goal.
- Chelsea have scored 11 goals in the final 15
minutes of Premier League games this season – Leicester have scored 12.
PREDICTION
Sportsmole: Leicester 2-1 Chelsea
Chelsea News 24/7
