The ever-electric Leicester City play hosts to Premier League new boys Watford on Sunday morning.
The Foxes are flying, currently sitting third on the Premier League table, trailing league leaders Manchester City by a mere three points.
Jamie Vardy has been a revelation this season and will be looking to extend his run of consecutive games scored in to nine – astonishing from a man who was playing non-league football only three-years ago. It is however, hard to find a poor player among Claudio Ranieri’s current setup, having only lost one game this season.
The Hornets will also be more than pleased with their return to the Premier League to date. Quique Sanches Flores’ chargers have won their last two league games, the most recent being a convincing 2-0 home victory against West Ham.
Both sides are in good form and would fancy their chances of a win in this fixture.
Key Battle – Jamie Vardy vs Odion Ighalo
This should be the key battle, should the latter be fit to play, as Odion Ighalo is currently recovering from a knock. Both men have been prolific this season and are perhaps two of the biggest surprise packets so far.
In fact, this fixture boasts the three top scorers in the league to date, with Vardy (11), Riyad Mahrez (7) and Ighalo (7) all set to take the field.
Much has been written about Vardy and his rise in professional football, however, Ighalo’s performance in the League should not be underestimated. This is the Nigerian hitman’s first season in the English top-flight and he has needed no time to settle in.
Both strikers have been instrumental in their respective club’s success to date and if either play well, fans will be in for a treat.
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Team news
The Foxes will once again be without Mathew James, still recovering from an ACL knee injury. Christian Fuchs has picked up a knock, but is still likely to be available for Sunday’s game.
Claudio Ranieri opted to start Riyad Mahrez centrally last week and may opt for a similar approach against Watford.
As mentioned above Ighalo has also picked up a knock, but expect the Nigerian to play here. Jose Manuel Jurado is recovering from a hamstring injury and remains doubtful, while Joel Ekstrand remains sidelined with an ACL injury.
Head-to-head
Leicester and Watford have played each other 34 times previously, with the Foxes having won 13, Watford 11 and 10 draws. The last time they played was in the Championship during the 2013-14 season, a game that finished 2-2. Given the makeup of the current teams and the time since their last meeting, little can be read into the result.
Prediction
Expect a game of the proverbial ‘two-halves’. According to OptaJoe, Watford would be league leaders if games were to finish at halftime this season. Compare that to the Foxes, who have salvaged 10 points from losing positions in 2015-16.
The game will be an open contest in which many chances will be presented, but Leicester at home will be too strong.
Leicester City 2 Watford 1
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