The Premier League returns on Saturday as we visit Leicester City in Saturday’s early kick-off (12.30pm), looking to stretch our unbeaten run in the competition to 15 games.
It’s been a decade since we last managed that, and having warmed up for this game quite literally in Dubai, Mikel Arteta will hope his players can turn up the heat on leaders Liverpool by cutting the gap at the top to just four points, with the Reds in action on Sunday against Wolves.
That’s the team our opponents will be hoping to leapfrog into the 17th spot they crave via a victory at our expense, which they’ve failed to do in the last six meetings between the teams - which we’ve won all of.
Foxes not in Ruud health
Leicester’s 50th top-flight season has been a tumultuous one. Having replaced Enzo Maresca in the summer, Steve Cooper won just two of his first 12 games in charge to be given the boot, with Ruud van Nistelrooy installed at the start of December.
However since his arrival, only rock-bottom Southampton have registered more Premier League defeats than the Foxes’ eight under the Dutchman, who has added just seven points to Cooper’s total of 10. No clean sheet has been claimed since October, while goal-shy Everton netted four times at Goodison Park in the Foxes’ last Premier League run-out.
At home, Van Nistelrooy has failed to see his team score in their last four games which were all losses, and they’re trying to avoid becoming just the fifth team in English top-flight history to stretch that to five. A controversial FA Cup exit at Manchester United also came last week, but despite all that, Leicester are only two points adrift of their pre-season target of achieving safety.
What the managers say
Arteta: “There are certain things that we’re going to have to adapt. It brings other opportunities as well because we’re going to have a different frontline of players that are very unpredictable, so good in 1-v-1s, very creative, very sharp and it’s going to give different headaches to the opposition.
“At home against top opponents, [Leicester] make life very difficult. I know Ruud very well and how he sets up his teams, and you can see the spirit there. They are very much alive and a threat.”
Van Nistelrooy: “It’s clear that the difference between us and Arsenal is big. You can see that, it is in the table. The team is fighting for the title, and are in the Champions League, so it’s a big challenge for us and something for us to look forward to.
“When you play in front of your home crowd and there is a connection with that crowd on a tackle, or on a pass, or on a cross, or in difficult moments where the support is lifting you, I know, from experience as a coach but also as a person who loves football, what it does to a team. I can only hope that the support will be behind the players.”
Team news
Kai Havertz will be out for the rest of the season after sustaining a hamstring injury during our Dubai training camp, while Gabriel Martinelli will also be out of action for a while after picking up a similar issue in our last match at Newcastle United.
They join Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus and Takehiro Tomiyasu on the sidelines, but there was better news in that Ben White could return to the matchday squad for the first time since November after undergoing knee surgery.
Van Nistelrooy could have a trio of players back at his disposal after revealing that Jamie Vardy, Jannik Vestergaard and Victor Kristiansen are fit again after missing the cup loss at United last week with minor ailments.
Patson Daka limped off in that game but is fine for Saturday, but Ricardo Pereira is out with a hamstring injury, while Issahaku Fatawu is a long-term casualty after injuring his ACL.
TALKING TACTICS
Adrian Clarke: Leicester have not scored a Premier League goal at home since early December, so we mustn't gift them any chances to end that drought early on at the King Power Stadium. Van Nistelrooy’s side have struggled in the air at times this season, facing more headed shots than any other team, and conceding the second-highest number of goals from headers (10) too. We have lost the height of Havertz, but Mikel Merino and Gabriel from set pieces will make the hosts nervous.
Since the Dutchman took over, young attacking midfielder Bilal El Khannouss [above] has been a real livewire in the No.10 role. The Belgian has great skill, and has shown that he can score and create opportunities at this level. Making sure he is only a peripheral figure in this match will be important.
Crosses from left-back Kristiansen are another of Leicester's strengths. In spite of his team’s struggles, the Dane has produced 19 successful crosses in open play, and that’s a tally only three Premier League players can top. His aim is usually towards Vardy, who scored 11 times against us before, so his movement and finishing remain a key strength for them. He must be closely shackled at all times.
Last but not least, keep your eye on keeper Mads Hermansen. He is good with his feet, and an outstanding shot-stopper. According to Opta he has prevented more goals (5) than any other custodian in the top-flight this season. Hopefully, we can make sure he has a busy afternoon.
Facts and stats
Leicester have lost each of their last six Premier League games against us, having won four of the previous six.
We have won 21 of our last 25 Premier League matches against sides sitting in the relegation zone (D3 L1), with the only defeat in that spell coming away to Everton in February 2023.
We are unbeaten in each of our last 14 Premier League games, the longest we’ve gone without suffering defeat in the competition since between December 2010 and April
2011 under Arsene Wenger.
Leicester have lost each of their last four Premier League home games without scoring – only Sheffield Wednesday in 1919/20, Birmingham City in 1921/22 and Norwich City in 2019/20 have ever lost five in a row on home turf to nil in the same top-flight campaign.
Only Tottenham and Southampton have handed more starts and more minutes to players aged 18 or younger than us (10, 835 mins) in the Premier League this season; seven of those starts have come for Myles Lewis-Skelly, the joint-most by a Gunners defender in the competition before turning 19 along with Gael Clichy.
Leandro Trossard has either scored (2 goals) or assisted (1) in each of his last three Premier League appearances against the Foxes.
Jamie Vardy has scored more Premier League goals against us than he has against any other opponent (11). Only Harry Kane (14) and Wayne Rooney (12) have netted
more often against us in the competition.
Jordan Ayew has had a hand in five goals across his last eight Premier League starts against us (4 goals, 1 assist).
Match officials
Having refereed the reverse fixture back in September, Sam Barrott will be in the middle for our clash with the Foxes again. That 4-2 success maintained our 100% winning ratio under his watch, which was extended to four wins from four when we beat Manchester United on his Gunners outing in December.
In his 15 Premier League games this term, the Yorkshire-based official has issued 66 yellow but not sent off a single player. He has also awarded three penalties, one of which came in his last top-flight match when Newcastle beat Southampton.
Referee: Sam Barrott
Assistants: Tim Wood, Wade Smith
Fourth official: Oliver Langford
VAR: Paul Tierney
Assistant VAR: Natalie Aspinall
Recent trips to Leicester
We have won our last three Premier League away games against the Foxes, just one fewer than we managed across our first 14 in the competition during our trips to the King Power Stadium and their previous home, Filbert Street.
The last occasion was back in February 2023 when after Leandro Trossard saw a goal chalked off by VAR, Martinelli prodded home the only goal of the game to mark the first time we had won three straight away league matches at Leicester since 1925.
The campaign before brought a 2-0 triumph thanks to goals from Gabriel and Emile Smith Rowe as well as a wondersave from Aaron Ramsdale, while the previous campaign saw Youri Tielemans’ early strike cancelled out by David Luiz, Alexandre Lacazette and Nicolas Pepe to record a 3-1 away win.
Live coverage
Tune into Live From N5 just before kick-off to hear live commentary of the game provided by Dan Roebuck and Adrian Clarke, who will guide you through all the action if you’re out and about.
You can also find out which broadcasters are showing the action live wherever you are in the world.
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