Thursday, March 28, 2024

Prediction: Leicester City vs Sheffield United

Verdict: Leicester City win by 2+ goals

Best Odds: 7/5

Bookmaker: Unibet

Looking to make it back-to-back Premier League wins this weekend, Leicester will welcome Sheffield United to an empty King Power Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Leicester City

Starting with the hosts, while Leicester might have left it late on the South Coast last time out, The Foxes did manage to pick up a hard-fought 2-1 win against relegation scrappers Brighton. With their focus now firmly on trying to secure a top-four finish after shockingly crashing out of the Europa League against Czech outfit Slavia Praha last month, Brendan Rodgers’ side are seeking some stability. Still managing to open this weekend’s fixtures sat third in the table and holding a five-point buffer from dropping out of the Champions League spots, the former Celtic boss should be smelling a golden chance to make it back-to-back wins on Sunday afternoon. Although Leicester might have suffered back-to-back defeats at The King Power, it should be noted that The Foxes picked up a last-gasp 2-1 victory when they made the trip to Bramall Lane back in December. More impressive, Rodgers’ men have won each of their last six straight meetings against The Blades, a run that stems back to 2010.

Team News

Brendan Rodgers has reported a boost on the injury front for Leicester with Jonny Evans, Dennis Praet and Ayoze Perez expected to be available.

However, the likes of Harvey Barnes (knee), Cengiz Under (thigh), James Justin (knee) and Wes Morgan (back) are all still out.

Sheffield United

As for the visitors, while Sheffield United might have managed to pick up a 1-0 win against Aston Villa when opening March, it appears that was just a minor boost for The Blades. With it shockingly announced that Chris Wilder will be standing down from his role with immediate effect, the Yorkshire outfit find themselves in the midst of a top-flight nightmare. Last seen putting in another sluggish display on home soil, they were hit with a 2-0 defeat against Southampton and are quickly freefalling towards a Championship return. Making the trip to The King Power still rooted four points adrift at the foot of the table, United have now lost five of their last six Premier League matchups. Breaking a string of unwanted records this year and now without Wilder in their dugout, they also hold a real reputation for their continued issues in the final third. Drawing a blank against Southampton last weekend, Sunday’s guests have managed to record just a single strike in over 500 minutes of action.

Team News

Veteran defender Phil Jagielka is available after he served a one-match ban.

Fellow defender Chris Basham (hamstring) will be assessed following his three-match absence. However, Jack O’Connell (knee), John Egan (toe), Jack Robinson (foot), Jack Rodwell and Sander Berge (both hamstring) remain on the sidelines.

Key Factors to Consider

  • When the two sides faced off at Bramall Lane back in December, Leicester picked up a 2-1 victory.
  • Including that victory in the reverse fixture, Sunday’s hosts have won each of their last six meetings against The Blades.
  • Sheffield United have lost five of their last six Premier League matchups.
  • The Blades have also managed to record just a single goal in any of their last five top-flight contests.
  • Each of Leicester’s last three Premier League matchups on home soil has finished in a 3-1 scoreline (1 win, 2 defeats).

Conclusion

While Leicester might have shown some issues after crashing out of the Europa League last month, there is no doubt that The Foxes will be boosted by a return to winning ways on the South Coast. Eventually snatching a late 2-1 victory against Brighton, Brendan Rodgers’ side will be smelling a golden chance on Sunday afternoon. Looking to extend their buffer in the top-four, a Sheffield United side in freefall should face another long afternoon on the road. Without Chris Wilder in their dugout and suffering a 2-0 defeat against Southampton last week, The Blades have now lost five of their last six Premier League contests. In fact, losing all six of their previous meetings against Leicester, we’re backing a similar home win this weekend.

Verdict: Leicester City win by 2+ goals

Best Odds: 7/5

Bookmaker: Unibet

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tom Dunstan


Formerly of The Independent, Tom has spent the past six years as one of our senior writers and betting experts. Alongside working with numerous publications from across the globe, Tom also graduated from the University of Falmouth in 2014 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Digital Media.
Spending almost the past decade working in countries such as Australia, New Zealand and Canada, he has also spent time featuring in sports radio. Tom can be followed on Instagram - @iamtomdunstan

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