Leicester City welcome Newcastle United to the King Power Stadium in the Premier League on Monday afternoon.
This Boxing Day fixture is a meeting between what had been two of the division’s in-form teams going into the World Cup hiatus.
Since October, Leicester (16) and Newcastle (22) boast two of the three highest Premier League points tallies. Both returned to action in midweek with Carabao Cup clean sheets and victories.
Here’s everything you need to know about the meeting between these high-flying outfits.
Leicester vs Newcastle H2H Results (Last Five Games)
Current Form (Last Five Games)
United Kingdom
United States
Canada
Leicester team news
Ricardo Pereira has made sizeable strides in his recovery from an Achilles tendon injury but James Justin is at the start of his rehabilitation from the same problem. Ryan Bertrand is still some way short of a return from a knee issue.
Both centre-backs Jonny Evans (calf) and Caglar Soyuncu (hamstring) are struggling with muscular strains.
James Maddison is expected to be available on Boxing Day. The Newcastle target wasn’t rushed back for the midweek cup tie but has returned to training following his involvement in England’s World Cup camp.
Leicester Starting 11 (4-2-3-1): Ward; Castagne, Amartey, Faes, Thomas; Tielemans, Ndidi; Perez, Maddison, Barnes; Vardy.
Bench: Iversen, Vestergaard, Mendy, Soumare, Albrighton, Praet, McAteer, Iheanacho, Daka.
Newcastle team news
Eddie Howe has been deliberately vague on Alexander Isak’s recovery from a hamstring problem which has sidelined the €70m acquisition since September. Elliot Anderson is struggling with ‘a couple of niggles’ while Paul Dummett has been nursing a calf strain.
Emil Krafth remains a long-term absentee with an ACL injury.
Newcastle Starting 11 (4-3-3): Pope; Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn; Longstaff, Guimaraes, Joelinton; Almiron, Wilson, Saint-Maximin.
Bench: Darlow, Lascelles, Targett, Manquillo, Shelvey, Ritchie, Willock, Murphy, Wood.
Leicester‘s resurgence going into the international break was built upon a newfound defensive resolve. Brendan Rodgers’ side has kept seven clean sheets in their last eight matches across all competitions – a remarkable turnaround after setting a new record for goals conceded in the first seven games of a Premier League season (22).
Newcastle‘s parsimony has been apparent throughout the campaign – the Magpies boast the joint-best defensive record in the division (11).
Both clubs find themselves trying to regain the momentum which…
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