Leicester City’s Premier League Fates Hangs by a Thread: Newcastle Safely Back in Champions League
Anxiety Levels Soar as Leicester’s Survival Hangs in Balance
Despite keeping their first clean sheet in 22 league games, Leicester City’s future in the Premier League now precariously teeters. After a tense 0-0 standoff with Newcastle at St James’ Park, the Magpies celebrated their return to Champions League football after a 20-year absence. However, Leicester were left entrenched in the drop zone, with only one game remaining. Despite a potential victory at home against West Ham, the Foxes’ future hangs in the balance.
Dean Smith, Leicester’s manager, confessed, “We’re going to need help. I think there’s going to be a lot of anxiety everywhere between the three teams that are in it. And then it is out of our hands. If Everton win… we obviously will give it our best shot and as long as we can say that we have fought tooth and nail, all we can do is put pressure on them.”
Everton’s Victory Could Spell Doom for Leicester
The Foxes’ fate will be sealed if Everton triumph against Bournemouth on Sunday. This result would tragically dispatch the 2016 Premier League champions to the Championship for the first time since 2014. However, a win from Leicester and anything less than a victory from the Toffees will put Sean Dyche’s side in peril and secure Leicester’s place in the Premier League – with goal difference possibly being the lifeline.
As it stands, Leicester have a goal difference of -18, with Everton trailing at -24. Therefore, the single point and clean sheet gained in Tyneside could prove to be the key on the final day of the season. The third contender for survival is Leeds, who are currently on level pegging with Leicester, albeit with a substantially worse goal difference.
‘Mad Final Day’ Needed: An Everton-Centric Showdown
As former Manchester United defender Gary Neville commented, “They are looking for a mad final day and hoping that something crazy happens at Goodison Park, it is all on Everton.” The Foxes are hoping for a miracle as the pressure mounts.
Dean Smith: Leicester’s Future Not Gambled Away
Despite eyebrows being raised at Dean Smith’s decision to bench England internationals James Maddison and Harvey Barnes, the Foxes’ manager staunchly denies gambling away Leicester’s future. Smith commented, “No. I am a bit of a risk-taker but that was not a gamble today. It was never a gamble, we kept a clean sheet which is what we needed to do.”
The Impending Battle at Goodison: Pressure Piles on Everton
With Manchester City already crowned champions, the Sunday showdown at Goodison Park is set to steal the limelight. Two from Leeds, Leicester, and Everton will join Southampton in the Championship next season. This is particularly shocking for Leicester, having been Premier League champions just seven years ago and FA Cup winners merely two years prior.
As former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher astutely noted, “If Leicester won tonight they were out of the drop zone, but are they in a better position now? They were never going to win two games were they? If you were Everton watching that, that puts a lot of pressure on them now.”
Neville added his sentiments, saying, “They have given themselves a better chance. I thought Leicester were finished last week. The pressure is on them and they are going to have to do something on Sunday. Imagine the pressure, imagine. It is going to be nail-biting at Goodison.”
