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Leicester City vs Chelsea Preview | Team News, Preview, Stats and Key Men

High flying Leicester City host Flailing Champions Chelsea on Monday in the Match Day 16 of the Barclays Premier League. While Chelsea have garnered a meagre 4 points out of a possible 18 in the last 6 games, they come on the back of a much needed victory over Porto FC in the Champions League. Leicester,  on the other hand not only sit atop the Premier League table but also the form table having garnered a massive 16 points in the last 6 games.

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Team News

Leicester City

Leicester City do not have any major injury concerns going into the game and we reckon that the Tinkerman will not tinker at all with the side that started against Swansea.

Chelsea

Chelsea too do not have any major injury concerns going into the game. However, the form of critical players has been a headache for Mourinho with the side yet to settle down on a performing line up. The Portuguese will most probably stick to the side that outperformed Porto in the midweek and hope that the same will suffice to garner anything positive at the King Power Stadium.

Interesting Facts

This will be the 98th meeting between these two sides in all competitions with Chelsea having won 47 games to Leicester’s 23.

However, the Foxes hold an upper hand at home, having won 19 of the 47 games played at home compared to Chelsea’s 11.

Leicester will be looking to end a 14 year old wait for a win over Chelsea, having won their last game against the blues in the 2000-01 season when their current manager was the manager of Chelsea.

Probable Line-Ups

Leicester City

Schmeichel, Simpson, Morgan, Huth, Fuchs, Mahrez, Drinkwater, Kante, Albrighton, Ulloa and Vardy.

Chelsea

Courtois, Ivanovic, Zouma, Cahill, Azpilicueta, Matic, Ramires, Willian, Oscar, Hazard and Costa.

Key Men

Riyad Mahrez

While Jamie Vardy has been bagging all the limelight at Leicester, Riyad Mahrez has been a far more critical component of the Foxes’ attack creating chances at will and almost outscoring the Englishman. He has contributed directly or indirectly to half of Leicester’s goals this season with 10 goals and 6 assists. He will be critical to Leicester’s fortunes come Monday having shown an ability to unlock tight defences with his passing ability, movement or vision.

His link up play has been brilliant and the Algerian can thread a pass through a needle’s eye making him the man to contain for Chelsea. The Algerian will be keen to continue with his glorious run of form, having bagged a hat trick only last weekend.

Nemanja Matic

We believed that last year Chelsea won the title because their midfield was the strongest in the league. The bed rock of that midfield was Serbian Nemanja Matic who impressed one and all with his incredible displays. How things have turned in a matter of months is a fact hard to fathom for us. He has a battle on his hand on Monday trying to contain the imperious duo of Jamie Vardy and Riyad Marez, a pair that turned heads in the Premier League.

He will need to close down the space and time made available to the duo as they have proved to be dangerous for oppositions so far. With his skill set and technical aptitude, we believe it’s only time that Matic will turn things around at the Bridge and become one of the most coveted assets in the League and this game is probably the best one to start the process.

Prediction

We believe that the Tinkerman will strike again and take all the three points on offer on Monday. Leicester are in too good form to be troubled by a Chelsea side extremely low on confidence and will cause further agony to the London side according to us.

Aditya Upaadhyay
Aditya Upaadhyay
A masters in finance with a passion for football and an urge to work at the intersection of both.
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