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It is something of a derby at the King Power Stadium this weekend as a likely relegation battling Leicester City welcome an Aston Villa side looking to bounce back from a defeat to Arsenal at Villa Park last weekend.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Saturday 31st August, 2024 - UK – 3:00pm / US ET – 10:00am / US PT – 7:00am
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – Not televised / US – Not televised
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – Not televised / US – Peacock, Fubo, Sling Blue & DirecTV Stream
LEICESTER PREVIEW: FOXES’ FRUSTRATIONS
Under the management of Steve Cooper, who was appointed this summer following the departure of Enzo Maresca to Chelsea who won the Championship with Leicester last season, the Foxes have endured a difficult summer transfer window and they have been tipped up as many to be heading straight back down to the second-tier.
Those concerns were exacerbated on the opening day of the season when they were fortunate to escape with a 1-1 draw against Tottenham Hotspur at the King Power. A similarly limited attacking display at Craven Cottage last weekend saw them eventually beaten by two goals to one before they hammered Tranmere Rovers by four goals to nil in midweek.
ASTON VILLA PREVIEW: GETTING BACK ON TRACK
Unai Emery has performed remarkably as Aston Villa manager but does face a tough test of balancing the intensity of UEFA Champions League football as well as playing in the Premier League. There is an importance on the early season matches to simply get points on the board for the Villains.
They began their season with a trip to the capital city to face West Ham United at the London Stadium and they enjoyed an impressive 2-1 victory with former Hammers target Jhon Duran scoring a winner. That was followed up by a good performance that ultimately ended in a 2-0 defeat at home to Arsenal last weekend.
LEICESTER TEAM NEWS: NO CHANGES FOR FOXES
In his pre-match press conference, Steve Cooper has confirmed that there are no changes to the Leicester City squad that hammered Tranmere Rovers by four goals to nil in the second round of the EFL Cup in midweek.
That means that Conor Coady is back in the squad after returning on Tuesday but they remain without goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk and Zambian international forward Patson Daka.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Hermansen; Justin, Vestergaard, Faes, Kristiansen; Ndidi, Winks; Fatawu, Buonanotte, Mavididi; Vardy
UNAVAILABLE: Stolarczyk (Injured), Daka (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
ASTON VILLA TEAM NEWS: CASH ISSUE
After sustaining a thigh injury against Arsenal last weekend, Poland international Matty Cash is set for a spell on the sidelines with Serbian youngster Kosta Nedeljkovic likely to play from the start for the Villains.
They have a couple of long-term absentees, too, that are not expected to return until mid-October with England international defender Tyrone Mings and French midfielder Boubacar Kamara both on the sidelines.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Emiliano Martinez; Nedeljkovic, Konsa, Torres, Digne; Tielemans, Onana; Bailey, Rogers, McGinn; Watkins
UNAVAILABLE: Mings (Injured), Cash (Injured), Kamara (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
LEICESTER VS ASTON VILLA PREDICTION
Leicester City have had a tough start to the campaign with home games against two of last season’s top five and a tricky trip down to the capital to face what appears to be a strong Fulham side. If their opening two games is anything to go by then they will be defensive and reactive but their sloppiness and ability to switch off is not the type of characteristic best suited to facing a side as effective and efficient as one coached by Unai Emery.
LEICESTER VS ASTON VILLA TIP: ASTON VILLA TO WIN