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Leicester will look to solidify their position in the table when they face Newcastle on the weekend. The Foxes are currently third in the league, two points ahead of fourth-placed Chelsea. Newcastle, on the other hand, will be looking to get back to winning ways after suffering a loss against Arsenal last weekend.
Painful memories of Leicester City’s late collapse last season are still fresh in the minds of fans. The Foxes held onto a top-four spot for much of the campaign, only to lose it at the very end. The consequences of that breakdown were costly, as it meant that Brendan Rodgers’ side missed out on the spot in the 2020/21 UEFA Champions League group stage.
Leicester are third in the league at the moment. However, a surprise draw against ten-man Southampton last weekend brought about a sense of Deja Vu? Could it happen twice in a row that Leicester miss out on a UCL spot in the final weeks of the season? And if so, what would be the fallout from the same?
The good news for Leicester fans is that despite their inconsistent results of late, Leicester remain third in the league. As such, their fate is in their own hands. Win all of their remaining matches, and they will qualify for Europe’s premier competition. However, the matches up ahead aren’t easy. The Foxes play a resurgent Newcastle United next, who, despite a loss in their previous match, are in the middle of a decent run of form. The Magpies have all but extended their stay in the league by another season and are now looking upwards.
Following Newcastle, they will play Manchester United, Chelsea, and Tottenham Hotspur in their final three matches of the season. As such, it becomes imperative that they secure maximum points from their immediate fixture, which sees Steve Bruce and Co visit the King Power Stadium.
Key Players
Kelechi Ihenacho: The forward’s outstanding goal return since the turn of the year makes him one of the most in-form players in the league. Leicester City are finally making good on their 25 million investment from four years ago when they paid a premium to sign Ihenacho from Manchester City. The Nigerian remains on track to displace Jamie Vardy as the Foxes’ annual top scorer after five seasons. He has scored 17 times this season and will be looking for goal number 18 when Leicester face Newcastle.
Jonny Evans: The Northern Irishman remains one of the shrewdest signings any Premier League club has made over the last few seasons. Despite the extremely low fee that Leicester paid to sign him from West Bromwich Albion, Evans has become a key player for the Foxes. He is a solid defender and has formed a good partnership with Caglar Soyuncu. Evans has also been among the goals lately, scoring twice in the Foxes’ last three matches.
Allan Saint-Maximin: If Newcastle survive relegation this season – which looks extremely likely at present – they have Allan Saint-Maximin to thank. The Magpies were in a dire situation, and were looking like the favorites to drop to the Championship, before the Frenchman’s timely return to the first team reinvigorated them. He remains the key creative threat for Newcastle. His team will rely on his talents to break Leicester’s resolve on the weekend.
Callum Wilson: The Englishman would be pleased to avoid relegation two years in a row. Wilson saw his former club Bournemouth go down last season and his current club were heading towards the same fate until recently. However, with their survival all but confirmed, Wilson will now focus on the future. It hasn’t been the best of seasons for him, but the striker can still hurt his opponents with his pace and his composure in front of the goal.
Prediction
Given the performances both teams have put in this season, one can comfortably claim Leicester to be the favorites in their match against Newcastle. After all, Foxes are predators, while Magpies are often the prey. However, unlike the natural scheme of things, there is a bit of unpredictability involved in football.
Newcastle did find themselves on the losing end of their earlier encounter. Steve Bruce’s side played Leicester City at home in January 2021 and was beaten 2-1. James Maddison and Youri Tielemans had ensured that the three points belonged to the side from Leicestershire on that occasion.
Barring any huge upsets, Brendan Rodgers’ side should be able to come away with three points again this weekend. Leicester did drop two points against the ten men of Southampton last time around but are in the middle of a decent spell overall. Moreover, the importance of a win this close to the end of the season won’t be lost on them, given how they crumbled last season around this time.
