Football News: Leicester City v Tottenham Hotspur Match Preview
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Thursday 18th May 2017
Leicester City v Tottenham Hotspur Premier League 7.45pm
King (slight doubt - hamstring injury)
Huth (slight doubt - foot injury)
Drinkwater (out - thigh strain)
Morgan (out - hamstring injury)
Mendy (out - ankle injury)
Wague (out - dislocated shoulder)
This is the final game before the season finale on Sunday and a genuine chance for the Foxes to get themselves into the top half, if they can take advantage of Spurs' season being over. Since reaching safety their form has been a bit inconsistent, though performances have tended to still be more like last season's team than the one that started this season. Where do Leicester go from here after winning the league one year then finishing in midtable the next? Do they go for the big name manager or stick with Craig Shakespeare in the hope that the short term results he has produced carry on for the long term? So many teams have seen form tail off once the caretaker becomes a permanent appointment.
Most important player: Riyad Mahrez. The Algerian showed a real quality to his play last season, a quality that has been mostly missing from his game this time around. He is really needed against Spurs.
Trippier (doubt - concussion)
Walker (major doubt - ankle injury)
Winks (out - ankle injury)
Rose (out - MCL injury)
Lamela (out - hip injury)
Carter-Vickers (out - knee injury)
After just falling short of the title once again, this time they can point to genuine progress, from third to second, despite having European football to contend with. Do they have what it takes to make that next step, even without a home stadium to aid them next season? Having gone through the whole season without losing a single home game but losing four away games, with two left to play away, there must be genuine doubts of that next step being within reach. Will Wembley feel like home, which it never did on European nights staged there? First though, they have to end the season on a high, keep hold of their best players and strengthen in the summer.
Most important player: Toby Alderweireld. The Belgian has been the bedrock of the side. His partnership with Jan Vertonghen is excellent, with the pair having built the best defensive pairing in the Premier League due to their understanding.
Defining Battle: it is all about the full/wing backs with Spurs. They create so much space in the middle when they get forward, that it allows the talents of Dele Alli, Christian Eriksen et al to blossom. Leicester have to find a way to deal with Tottenham's threat from the flanks, without sacrificing their wingers by using them as auxiliary fullbacks to help out.
Editors' Predictions:
Ed003 - 0-2
Ed004 - 2-1
Ed018 - 1-2
Ed025 - 2-1
Written by Tris Burke May 18 2017 05:06:09