Verdict: Total goals under 2.5
Best odds: 1/1
Bookmaker: Betfair
Leicester City will be desperate to bounce back and revive their faltering promotion bid when they welcome Watford to the King Power Stadium for a Boxing Day Championship clash.
The Foxes endured a humbling defeat at Queens Park Rangers last time out, while the Hornets continued their strong home form with victory over Stoke City.
Leicester City
A decade on from their Premier League title triumph, Leicester now face the grim prospect of mid-table obscurity in the second tier, currently on course for their lowest finish since 2012. December began brightly with seven points from three games, but optimism was dented by a crushing 4-1 loss at Loftus Road on Saturday.
Four first-half goals from QPR condemned Marti Cifuentes’s side to their seventh defeat of the season, leaving them 13th in the table and four points adrift of the playoff spots. Despite losing only two of 10 home matches, Leicester rank just 17th for home form, though they did claim an impressive 3-1 win over Ipswich in their last outing at the King Power.
Defensive frailties remain a recurring theme—the Foxes have failed to keep a clean sheet in 16 consecutive games, their last shutout coming against Coventry in September.
Team News
Jannik Vestergaard is ruled out after sustaining a head injury at QPR, forcing Cifuentes to reshuffle his back line. Wout Faes or Caleb Okoli could partner Ben Nelson in central defense, while teenage prospect Jeremy Monga may earn a start following the Loftus Road debacle.
Watford
After three seasons of mid-table stagnation, Watford have genuine playoff aspirations this term. Javi Gracia’s men extended their unbeaten run to four matches with a 1-0 win over Stoke, courtesy of Luca Kjerrumgaard’s seventh goal of the campaign. The Hornets have lost just once in their last 10 games, climbing to 10th and sitting three points shy of sixth-placed Millwall.
Their home form has been exceptional—25 points collected at Vicarage Road ranks second only to leaders Coventry—but away results remain their Achilles’ heel, with just seven points earned on the road. Imran Louza has stepped up impressively, scoring six league goals after netting only twice last season.
Team News
Watford are without Edo Kayembe and Mamadou Doumbia due to AFCON duty, while Rocco Vata remains sidelined until late January, reducing attacking options.
Head-to-Head
Leicester and Watford have met 37 times in league competition since 1993, with the Foxes winning 17, the Hornets 12, and eight matches ending in draws. Leicester triumphed 2-0 in last season’s corresponding fixture, but Watford claimed a 1-0 victory when the sides met at Vicarage Road earlier this term. Historically, Leicester have dominated at home, winning five of the last six encounters at the King Power.
Conclusion
Leicester’s defensive woes and recent setback make this a pivotal fixture for their promotion hopes. Watford’s away struggles could tilt the balance toward the hosts, but given both sides’ inconsistencies, a tight contest is expected. A narrow Leicester win or a low-scoring draw appears the most likely outcome.
Verdict: Total goals under 2.5
Best odds: 1/1
Bookmaker: Betfair
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