Leicester City and Aston Villa are set to lock horns at the King Power Stadium this Saturday, as both teams seek to bounce back from recent Premier League setbacks. The Foxes suffered a defeat against Fulham, while Villa fell short against Arsenal, making this upcoming clash a crucial opportunity for redemption.
Aston Villa's defensive woes and attacking potential
Aston Villa's season has been marked by inconsistency thus far. After securing a victory over West Ham, they stumbled against Arsenal, exposing defensive frailties. Ollie Watkins squandered key opportunities, while goals from Leandro Trossard and Thomas Partey sealed Villa's defeat.
Unai Emery now faces a selection headache with Matty Cash sidelined for a month due to injury. Kosta Nedeljkovic is expected to fill in at right-back, with the rest of the defence likely to remain unchanged. In midfield, Amadou Onana and Youri Tielemans will hold the fort, while Leon Bailey and John McGinn provide width on the flanks. Morgan Rogers is set to support Watkins up front as Villa aim to unleash their attacking prowess.
Leicester's search for consistency
Under the stewardship of Steve Cooper, Leicester City have endured a challenging start to the campaign. Despite a convincing EFL Cup triumph over Tranmere Rovers, their league performances have been erratic. A draw against Tottenham was followed by a loss to Fulham, despite Wout Faes' equalising effort.
Leicester will be without long-term absentees Patson Daka and Jakub Stolarczyk, but the return of Luke Thomas and Conor Coady strengthens their defensive options. Cooper is likely to stick with the back four that faced Fulham, while new signings Oliver Skipp and Facundo Buonanotte could feature in midfield alongside Wilfred Ndidi and Harry Winks. Jamie Vardy is expected to spearhead the attack, with support from Abdul Fatawu and Bobby De Cordova-Reid.
Leicester City vs Aston Villa: Predicted lineups
Leicester City: Hermansen, Justin, Faes, Vestergaard, Kristiansen, Winks, Ndidi, Fatawu, Buonanotte, Decordova-Reid, Vardy
Aston Villa: Martinez, Nedeljkovic, Konsa, Torres, Digne, Onana, Tielemans, Bailey, McGinn, Rogers, Watkins
A battle of attacking firepower
This encounter promises to be a captivating clash, with both teams eager to find their footing in the Premier League. Leicester City will look to capitalise on home advantage and recent cup success, while Aston Villa will aim to unleash their attacking potential.
Historically, Leicester have had the edge over Villa, but recent visits to the King Power Stadium have favoured the Villans. With defensive vulnerabilities evident on both sides, goals are anticipated in this closely fought battle. If Villa can learn from their defeat to Arsenal and sharpen their finishing, they might just secure a hard-fought victory.