Leicester City vs Manchester United
Date: 03/02/2019
K/O: 14:05
Venue: King Power Stadium
Referee: Mike Dean
TV: Sky Sports Main Event
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s managerial career at Manchester United will look to get back on track this weekend as he brings his side south to face Claude Puel’s Leicester City.
The Red Devils showed extreme desire and commitment on Tuesday evening after fighting back from two goals down to score two injury-time goals in a draw with Burnley. As for the Foxes, they themselves put in a dogged performance on Merseyside and put a spanner in Liverpool’s title quest as they came away from Anfield with a point. They have the chance to do the same to Manchester United this weekend who since Solskjaer’s arrival have shown an extraordinary turnaround and suddenly look back in top-four contention.
The Foxes will be confident heading into this one though and after victories against Chelsea and Manchester City coupled with the draw during the week to Liverpool, there will be optimism amongst the Leicester camp.
Head to Head: Manchester United claim the better record against the Foxes and have an emphatic record as of late. The two have shared 29 draws with Leicester victorious on 33 occasions in comparison to United’s 65 times. The Red Devils have won six of the last nine fixtures with Leicester with three draws – two of which came at the King Power. Leicester have not been victorious vs United since the memorable 5-3 encounter back in September 2014.
Team News
Leicester City
Puel has a fully fit squad to choose from for the visit of Manchester United aside from Daniel Amartey, who continues to recover from an ankle injury. In victories against Manchester City and Chelsea, Puel opted for a 4-3-3 formation with three defensive midfielders yet in the draw with Liverpool he returned to his trusted 4-2-3-1 so who knows what approach he will take this time around.
Youri Tielemans made the switch from Monaco to Leicester on transfer deadline day with Adrian Silva going the other way and the former could make his Premier League debut while either replacing Ndidi or Mendy in the defensive midfield or taken up a more advanced role in a likely three behind Jamie Vardy.
Manchester United
Anthony Martial and Paul Pogba are both expected to be fit to travel to Leicester on Sunday with the former looking to put the icing on the cake after signing a new long-term deal this week. Martial did miss the midweek fixture while Pogba was seen limping out of Old Trafford after the game yet they should both be fit and start in this one.
Chris Smalling returned to the matchday squad during the week and could be set to feature while Marcos Rojo remains on the sidelines. Marouane Fellaini, who has been subject to a move to China, has a calf injury so will not feature.
Match facts
Leicester have won just one of their last 21 fixtures against Manchester United in all competitions (D4, L16)
Leicester could lose three consecutive home games for the first time since 2014.
The Foxes have won just one of their last 14 matches on a Sunday in all competitions (D4, L9)
Manchester United are the only side to have received a yellow card in all 24 of their Premier League matches this campaign.
United are attempting to win five consecutive away games in all competitions for the first time since a similar streak in October 2012 – in Sir Alex Ferguson’s final season in charge.
Paul Pogba has been involved in 53% of the 19 Premier League goals scored by United under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. He has scored six and assisted four.
Marcus Rashford is set to make is 100th Premier League appearance on Sunday and would become the youngster player to reach a century of top-flight appearances for United since Ryan Giggs in December 1993.
Predicted Starting XIs
Leicester City (4-2-3-1): Schmeichel; Pereira, Evans, Maguire, Chilwell; Ndidi, Mendy; Albrighton, Maddison, Tielemans; Vardy
Manchester United (4-3-3): De Gea; Young, Lindelof, Bailly, Shaw; Herrera, Matic, Pogba; Lingard, Rashford, Martial
Score Prediction: Leicester City 1 Manchester United 2
Despite picking up a well-earned point at Anfield during the week, the Foxes home record has been somewhat poor by their standards having lost to both Cardiff and Southampton in the previous two fixtures at the KP. This will give United confidence; coupling this with the fact United’s last two away victories came against Tottenham and Arsenal, the Red Devils will be eager to put their slight blip against Burnley behind them and continue their top-four surge.
