Leicester City have not won in the Premier League since Boxing Day last year and are off the back series of poor performance after being knocked out of the FA Cup by League One side, Millwall. The away loss to Sevilla in the Champions League Round of 16 proved to be the final straw as Claudio Ranieri was axed. Leicester caretaker manager Craig Shakespeare, Ranieri’s former assistant, will take charge of the Monday clash against Liverpool.
Leicester’s record signing Islam Slimani joined the training last week will be assessed ahead of the match after struggling with a groin injury that kept him from travelling to Sevilla. Leonardo Ulloa is also out with a thigh problem, and one would presume he is interesting in playing for the side once more following Ranieri’s departure.
Liverpool travel to Leicester without their centre-back Dejan Lovren who remains a doubt with the knee injury which kept him out of the past two matches. Midfielder Gini Wijnaldum is also struggling with a slight calf injury.
This exact fixture last season was won 2-0 by Leicester last season thanks to Jamie Vardy who scored a spectacular brace. They have not won back-to-back home league games against Liverpool since August 1972.
In Liverpool home fixture this season, they won 4-1 back in September. 2001-02 was the last time Liverpool managed to beat Leicester home and away in the same season. Since Leeds United in 1992/93, no other reigning top-flight champion has lost 15 league games within a season. A loss to Liverpool will see Leicester City break that unwanted record. Also, they will be the first reigning champion to lose 6 in a row since Everton in 1928/29 season.
Gerard’s prediction
After their poor performance against 10-man Millwall, many would predict Leicester to suffer a huge loss against the reigning Europa League champions, Sevilla in the midweek game. They managed to keep the respectable score line of 2-1 with Jamie Vardy scoring the important away goal which would give them some hopes of entering the next round. Liverpool, on the other hand had a horrendous start to 2017, yet managed to put on quite a well-rounded attacking performance at Tottenham. Many suggest that they might have finally turned the corner.
I expect Liverpool to win this game given the fact that the players are fresh from a 2-week break while Leicester players only had a few days rest following their European game in midweek. Liverpool attacking prowess will prove to be too much for the tired Leicester side which lacks squad depth and a 0-2 away win will be my prediction.
