Leicester City vs West Ham United

 

LEIWHU

Leicester City ended the 2019/20 campaign on a whimper and narrowly missed the Champions League qualification. The Foxes, however, hit the reset button and since then have slowly rediscovered their best touch. Brendan Rodgers' men have won each of their first three Premier League games, one of which was a shocking 5-2 loss to Manchester City last week.

Leicester is also one of only two teams to be in double figures in goals scored this period. Having been comfortably perched at the top of the Premier League table heading into match week, they fell to second place after Everton's 4-2 win against Brighton on Saturday. And the Foxes will aim to regain top spot with a win.

Their opponents on Sunday, West Ham United, have been unpredictable in the first month of the 2020/21 season. The Hammers began their campaign with back to back defeats at the hands of Newcastle United and Arsenal.

 

Team news and tactics

Leicester city

Brendan Rodgers doesn't have too many fitness issues to hamper his preparation ahead of West Ham United's visit. On Sunday, the Leicester City manager will be left without just three first-team players, and all those with minor problems are expected to be available.

Rodgers had been sweating over the fitness of Jonny Evans and Dennis Praet in preparation for the game. But, while Evans is in top form, Praet faces a belated fitness test to determine his availability. However, the big concern before the game against West Ham was the situation of Jamie Vardy, who had been struggling with a hip injury this week.

However, Rodgers confirmed during his pre-game press conference that Vardy is available to face West Ham. The veteran forward should therefore lead the Leicester line on Sunday. As for the missing hosts, Wilfred Ndidi and Filip Benkovic remain in the treatment room, while Ricardo Pereira continues his rehabilitation after recovering from a knee injury.

 Cengiz Under is available, but it's likely to get to the nitty-gritty. Given that the Turkish winger is unlikely to start, James Maddison should be deployed to an unknown right-wing position, considering that Ayoze Perez has hardly made an impression so far. On the opposite flank, you can't look past Harvey Barnes.

 Youri Tielemans and Praet will occupy the centrally advanced positions on the field, and the duo will combine with Maddison to chain opportunities for Vardy. In fact, with Timothy Castagne tasked with loitering on the right flank, Maddison should create more overloads in the central areas. Nampalys Mendy, meanwhile, will sit at the base of midfield.

Mendy will provide coverage for a four-man baseline that will feature Castagne, James Justin, Evans and Caglar Soyuncu. Talented young center-back Wesley Fofana joined Leicester this week but is expected to come on gradually, which means Evans and Soyuncu will team up at the heart of Leicester's defense. In goal, you can't look past Kasper Schmeichel.

West Ham United

David Moyes doesn't have many pressing concerns to deal with before the trip to King Power Stadium. Against Leicester City on Sunday, the West Ham United manager, who will once again relay instructions remotely as he recovers from COVID-19, will be deprived of single player services, with Ryan Fredericks out with injury. on the thigh.

Fredericks should also be available after the international break, which means that Moyes will soon have a full squad at his disposal. However, there is good news too, with Issa Diop and Josh Cullen now available after recovering from the coronavirus.

Diop could be called up to the starting lineup immediately, but is expected to stay out, with Fabian Balbuena starting in his place. Balbuena will be back in the 3-4-3 formation that worked wonders against Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend, with Angelo Ogbonna and Aaron Cresswell as his teammates in the back-threes.

The three-man central defensive unit will provide cover for Lukasz Fabianski, with Arthur Masuaku and Ben Johnson as West Ham's side pair. In midfield, Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek are the obvious options at double pivot, with captain Mark Noble losing to Leicester. 

Finally, in attack, you can't look past Jarrod Bowen, Pablo Fornals and Michail Antonio. As Antonio will lead West Ham's line against Leicester, Fornals and Bowen will provide creative support, and the duo will take more central positions during the offensive phases. Off the ball, the pair will move to the sides to cancel out the influence of Leicester's sides.

Leicester City  Probable Lineup [3 -4 -3] : 

GK: Fabianski

DEF: Balbuena, Ogbonna, Cresswell

MID: Johnson, Rice, Soucek, Masuaku

FW: Bowen, Antonio, Fornals

 West Ham United Probable Lineup [4-1-4-1] : 

GK: Schmeichel

DEF: Castagne, Soyuncu, Evans, Justin

MID: Mendy; Maddison,  Praet,  Tielemans, Barnes

FW:  Vardy

Prediction: Leicester City 3-1  West Ham United