Leicester City vs. Brighton
Venue: King Power Stadium
Kick off: 8:15PM
Leicester City play host to Brighton & Hove Albion this evening looking for the victory which would keep them in the top four of the Premier League table.
Having had to cope with injuries and a hectic schedule since the beginning of the season, it was no surprise that Leicester’s standards dropped immediately after the November international break.
However, wins over Sheffield United and AEK Athens have seemingly got the Foxes back on track at a crucial period of the season, particularly in the Premier League, when another defeat would have left them down in seventh place.
Instead, the late 2-1 success at Bramall Lane has kept the East Midlands outfit within touching distance of leaders Tottenham Hotspur when league games are about to be played every three or four days.
While it is not ideal circumstances for any club, Brendan Rodgers will feel that his players are well equipped to cope with the increased workload, allowing him to rotate when necessary.
The Northern Irishman will continue to rely heavily on Jamie Vardy, who now has nine goals in the top flight this season, but the upcoming schedule should finally give summer arrival Cengiz Under a chance to impress on the domestic scene.
From Brighton’s perspective, they were left frustrated after a VAR decision went against them during the latter stages of the meeting with Southampton.
Danny Ings’s late penalty condemned the Seagulls to their first defeat in four games, keeping Graham Potter’s team wary of the teams in the relegation zone.
Although the South Coast outfit are performing well enough during general play, squandering chances and remaining open at the back is preventing them from making any kind of progression.
Danny Welbeck has been a huge plus since his introduction into the starting lineup, but the forward will require assistance from his teammates if Brighton are going to stay out of trouble over the coming weeks.
Leicester City possible XI: Schmeichel, Fofana, Evans, Fuchs, Albrighton, Tielemans, Mendy, Justin, Perez, Barnes, Vardy.
Brighton & Hove Albion possible XI: Ryan, Veltman, Dunk, Webster, Lamptey, White, Bissouma, March, Gross, Connolly, Welbeck.