Leicester City vs Newcastle United prediction, expected line-ups, how to watch and stats
Relegation-threatened Leicester City will look to delay the inevitable when they host Champions League hopefuls Newcastle United on Monday Night Football.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but sacking Steve Cooper after 15 matches looks increasingly questionable. Having helped Nottingham Forest avoid the drop a season prior, Cooper was on course for 35 points.
It looks as if 40 points would be needed to finish above Wolves or West Ham, but at least they’d been within touching distance for the run-in.
Instead, they doomed themselves by hiring the worst breed of manager in the game – a former Man United striker.
Newcastle are already on course to secure a return to European football. They’ll need to win on Monday and take advantage of a game in hand, but their fate remains in their hands.
They’ll fancy their chances of beating a City side who have lost 14 of their previous 15 matches, failing to score on 13 occasions as they threaten the longest scoring run in Premier League history.
Leicester vs Newcastle prediction:
That’s right. This utterly hopeless Leicester attack has failed to score in seven consecutive matches, putting them in touching distance of Crystal Palace’s record of nine matches with a goal.
What’s puzzling is the Foxes managed to net 21 times in 15 matches before December 14, which was a couple of weeks after Ruud van Nistelrooy was appointed.
Since then, City have scored four times in 15 matches and produced a measly 2.5xG during their seven-match barren streak.
Even worse, Leicester may set a new Football League record with eight consecutive home defeats without scoring a goal.
It’s logical to think the longer this scoreless streak goes on then the more likely they are to eventually break their duck, but this is a fixture that has a history of teams failing to score.
At least one team drew a blank in eight of their previous nine meetings at the King Power Stadium, as well as 20 of 29 in this series.
Eddie Howe’s side shut West Ham out in their previous away win, adding the clean sheets they kept away to Everton, Ipswich Town and Man United.
Despite question marks over Kieran Trippier and Alexander Isak, the Toon Army is healthy enough in key areas and should be able to make light work of this fixture, regardless.
Even on a sinking ship, Jamie Vardy has managed to add seven Premier League goals to his career tally of 143 at the ripe old age of 38.
Leicester City team news
Van Nistelrooy could opt to rotate heavily in a desperate bid to shake things up on Monday, though no one has shown enough quality when coming off the bench to demand a start.
Ruud looks opposed to tinkering, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see James Justin and Victor Kristiansen continue in the wing-back positions, even though Ricardo Pereira and Luke Thomas would appreciate a recall.
City need more creativity than they’re getting, but the combative duo of Wilfred Ndidi and Boubakary Soumare look to offer the best chance of competing.
Bobby De Cordova-Reid and Facundo Buonanotte have provided an alternative in attack, though neither looks like displacing Bilal El Khannouss or Patson Daka any time soon.
Leicester City expected line-up
Hermansen – Faes, Coady, Thomas – Justin, Ndidi, Soumare, Kristiansen – Daka, El Khannouss – Vardy
Newcastle United team news
Howe will be sweating on the fitness of Trippier and Isak on Monday evening, as the influential pairing faces late fitness tests.
Emil Krafth is likely to replace Trippier should he not be fit enough to start, with Lewis Hall already ruled out, meaning a start on the left for Tino Livramento.
The midfield trio of Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton should be able to make mince meat of a Leicester side struggling to keep the ball.
Big Joe will need to walk a disciplinary tightrope on Monday night, as a 10th yellow card in either of the next three matches will result in a one-game suspension.
Jacob Murphy and Harvey Barnes are expected to continue in attack, supporting either Newcastle’s top scorer or capable replacement Callum Wilson.
Newcastle United expected line-up
Pope – Trippier, Schar, Burn, Livramento – Guimaraes, Tonali, Joelinton – Murphy, Isak, Barnes
Leicester vs Newcastle: How to watch and listen
Monday Night Football features Leicester City and United live on Sky Sports at 8pm on April 7. There will also be full match commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live Sport.
Leicester vs Newcastle stats:
– At least one team has failed to score in 20 of 29 meetings between these sides
– Both teams to score: No has been a winning bet in eight of nine meetings at the King Power Stadium
– Leicester have lost 14 of their last 15 Premier League matches
– Leicester have lost seven consecutive Premier League matches without scoring
– The Foxes have also failed to score in each of their last seven home matches, equalling a Football League record
– Newcastle are unbeaten in four meetings and kept a clean sheet in each of the last three