Enzo Maresca returns to the King Energy Stadium on Saturday for the primary time since his departure for Chelsea as his new-look Blues face Leicester Metropolis within the Premier League.
The Italian guided the Foxes to promotion again to the top-flight final time period however jumped ship over the summer season following the decision from Chelsea. Maresca’s successor Steve Cooper can be eager to make sure it is an sad return for his reverse quantity.
Chelsea discover themselves third within the Premier League desk as membership soccer returns following the November worldwide break. The Blues have impressed this time period after a shaky starting however have received simply one among their final 5 league outings.
Leicester are combating tooth and nail on the different finish of the desk however have proven glimpses of their potential beneath Cooper. Again-to-back wins both facet of the October worldwide interval noticed them stand up the desk they usually’re presently three factors above the relegation zone.
Right here is 90min’s information to Leicester vs Chelsea.
Leicester vs Chelsea H2H Document (Final 5 Video games)
Present type (all competitions)
|
Leicester |
Chelsea |
|---|---|
|
Man Utd 3-0 Leicester – 10/11/24 |
Chelsea 1-1 Arsenal – 10/11/24 |
|
Ipswich 1-1 Leicester – 02/11/24 |
Chelsea 8-0 Noah – 07/11/24 |
|
Man Utd 5-2 Leicester – 30/10/24 |
Man Utd 1-1 Chelsea – 03/11/24 |
|
Leicester 1-3 Nottingham Forest – 25/10/24 |
Newcastle 2-0 Chelsea – 30/10/24 |
|
Southampton 2-3 Leicester – 19/10/24 |
Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle – 27/10/24 |
|
Nation |
TV channel/reside stream |
|---|---|
|
United Kingdom |
TNT Sports activities 1, TNT Sports activities Final, discovery+, discovery+ App |
|
United States |
fuboTV, nbcsports.com, NBC Sports activities App, UNIVERSO NOW, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo, USA Community, UNIVERSO |
|
Canada |
fuboTV Canada, Fubo Sports activities Community Canada |
Leicester have struggled with accidents over the worldwide interval and the disappointing information for Cooper is Abdul Fatawu is sidelined with an anterior cruciate ligament harm. He’ll miss the rest of the marketing campaign.
Jordan Ayew is in rivalry for the weekend after choosing up an harm with Ghana, whereas Jamie Vardy, who missed the 3-0 defeat to Manchester United final day out, might return from a again harm.
Bobby Decordova-Reid is being monitored forward of the weekend and will make his comeback from an “awkward” harm. Striker Patson Daka might make his first look of the season as he nears a return.
Again-up goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk and right-back Ricardo Pereira are each nonetheless sidelined and Brighton & Hove Albion loanee Facundo Buonanotte is suspended after choosing up a fifth yellow card of the season earlier than the worldwide break.
Leicester predicted lineup vs Chelsea (4-3-3): Hermansen; Justin, Faes, Vestergaard, Kristiansen; Soumare, Ndidi, Winks; McAteer, Vardy, Mavididi.
There are just a few former Leicester gamers within the Chelsea squad, though out-of-favour Ben Chilwell will not be concerned on Saturday. Kiernan Dewsbury-Corridor left the King Energy over the summer season and can doubtless be on the bench this weekend, whereas centre-back Wesley Fofana is a doubt with a knee harm sustained previous to the worldwide break.
Maresca has revealed Reece James has picked up yet one more harm and can be lacking for the journey to Leicester on the very least. Fellow right-back Malo Gusto can be uncertain with an ankle harm and midfielder Romeo Lavia might miss out with a hamstring drawback.
Cole Palmer and Levi Colwill each withdrew from the England squad over the worldwide interval however ought to characteristic within the East Midlands. Filip Jorgensen is unlikely to start out on Saturday however is a minor doubt after withdrawing from the Denmark Below-21s squad.
Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez performed within the early hours of Wednesday morning for Ecuador and Argentina, making them doubts to start out on Saturday.
In higher information, Jadon Sancho must be match to characteristic after lacking latest matches via sickness.
Chelsea predicted lineup vs Leicester (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Madueke, Palmer, Neto; Jackson.
It stays to be seen what sort of reception Maresca is obtainable on his return to the King Energy however he’ll care little offering his Chelsea facet can get again to successful methods within the Premier League. That is precisely what they need to do towards a Leicester outfit hamstrung by accidents and suspensions, particularly within the remaining third.
Chelsea have the attacking firepower to unlock a cussed and deep defensive block, whereas Leicester’s lack of creativity within the remaining third might show a stumbling block.
These aren’t the form of matches that can outline the Foxes’ season and their efficiency at Outdated Trafford earlier than the worldwide break evokes little confidence of a shock end result.
