Premier League: Is the Fourth Time the Charm for Leicester City?

Leicester City vs Manchester United

Leicester City are desperate for a home victory and will look to get it when they host Manchester United at the King Power Stadium this Sunday. The Foxes have lost five consecutive Premier League matches, leaving them 19th in the English top-flight standings with 17 points, level with the 18th-seeded Ipswich Town.

​Ruud van Nistelrooy’s men are coming off a 1-0 loss against Chelsea last Saturday, and the pregame SBOTOP betting odds don’t fancy their chances against the Red Devils, given how their previous encounters went.

Manchester United are coming off a 4-1 win against Real Sociedad to advance to the Europa League quarter-finals. Ruben Amorim’s side has improved in the past few days, although that has yet to fully translate in the Premier League because they’re 14th with 34 points.

 

Talking Points

No goals, no wins for Leicester City

The Foxes look probable for the drop, as they’re on a horrific run under Ruud van Nistelrooy. As mentioned, they are on a five-game losing streak, and what makes it bad is they haven’t scored a single goal in any of the matches while conceding 13 on the other end. Leicester City have the second-worst attack in the English top-flight with only 25 goals and a -37-goal difference.

Jamie Vardy is the team’s top scorer with seven league goals and three assists, but he hasn’t found the back of the net since their 2-1 win over Tottenham last January. The Foxes need him to fire again, and he’ll join Patson Daka and Bilal El Khannouss, who also scored against Tottenham, in the final third against the Red Devils. 

There’s some good news for Leicester City, as their injury list has eased up, with only Abdul Fatawu being the long-term absentee due to a torn ACL. Veteran full-back Ricardo Pereira returned to the matchday squad against Chelsea last week following a four-month hiatus.

Provided no further players pick up injuries, van Nistelrooy will have 22 outfield players to choose from, but only 18 can make the team against the Red Devils. Oliver Skipp, Odsonne Edouard, Jannik Vestergaard, and Kasey McAteer weren’t included against the Blues, and they may miss out again this weekend.

 

Fernandes, Zirkzee vital for Manchester United

Manchester United are undefeated in their last three games across all competitions, mainly because of Bruno Fernandes and Joshua Zirkzee. 

Fernandes scored a hat-trick against Real Sociedad last night. The Portuguese playmaker has notched four goals in his last three appearances. Manchester United wouldn’t make it to the last 8 if Joshua Zirkzee didn’t score in the first leg.

Zirkzee’s goals have come few and far between, but he has been invaluable for Ruben Amorim this season. The Dutchman can play as a No. 9 or as an additional midfielder because of his ability to link up with his fellow forwards. Zirkzee also looks fitter compared to his first few months at Old Trafford.

 

History

As mentioned, Leicester City and Manchester United will meet for the fourth time this season, and the Red Devils have won all three previous encounters. Manchester United won 5-2 to dump Leicester City out of the EFL Cup Round of 16 in Ruud van Nistelrooy’s first game as Manchester United’s interim manager. Manchester United won 3-0 in their first league meeting this season last November, and they also won 2-1 in the FA Cup fourth round last February under Ruben Amorim, with van Nistelrooy on the other side.

The Red Devils have lost just one of their last eight Premier League matches against the Foxes (W4, D3), with their last defeat being a 4-2 result in October 2021.

The Foxes have lost each of their last six Premier League games at the King Power Stadium by an aggregate tally of 0-15. No team in English top-flight history has ever lost seven straight matches without scoring.

 

Betting Tip

The Premier League 2025 odds back the Red Devils to beat the Foxes for the fourth time this season. Manchester United are pegged at 1.83, while Leicester City are at 3.80, and a draw is valued at 3.43 in the 1X2 market. This fixture has featured goals, so fans at the King Power Stadium should get their usual dose of Premier League 2025 highlights. Besides our recommended bet, bettors can also go for options like Total Goals 2-3 at 2.00, Over 2.50 at 1.81, and Over 2.75 at 2.04. Moreover, a Correct Score of 2-1 in favour of the Red Devils – the result of their most recent meeting – is installed at 7.60 your bet.

   

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