Leicester-Newcastle is a match valid for the seventeenth day of the Premier League and is played on Monday at 16:00: predictions, TV, streaming.
Newcastle have no intention of slowing down. After ending the “first round” of the season with the beauty of five consecutive victories, they immediately started to win again, beating Bournemouth 1-0 in the fourth round of the League Cup. This time an Adam Smith own goal was enough to advance to the quarter-finals of the cup, where in January they will face their Premier League Boxing Day opponent, Leicester.
The Magpies have ceased to amaze and it is almost a foregone conclusion that the big boys in the league will also have to contend with them to snatch a place in the European cups, be it Champions League or Europa League. Eddie Howe’s men are third in the standings, with only Arsenal and Manchester City ahead of them, and in the first fifteen days they have collected 30 points, more than better equipped teams such as Tottenham, Manchester United and Liverpool. Many had imagined a rosy future after the purchase of the club by the wealthy Saudi fund, but it was difficult to envisage such a sudden rise by Newcastle. Newcastle, although without (for the moment) any big names, can count on a competitive team, well coached by the excellent Howe, who has already shown himself with Bournemouth.
Newcastle unbeaten for ten rounds
On the traditional Boxing Day, Newcastle, who have not lost in ten games, have a great chance to overtake – at least momentarily – Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, who will take to the pitch 24 hours later at home to Leeds.
Rodgers
On the other hand, we have a Leicester side that seems to be going through a major downsizing this year, even though Brendan Rodgers has put the poor start to the season behind him and consequently also dismissed the prospects of exoneration. The Foxes have moved out of the red zone thanks to six wins in their last five matches, including League Cup wins against Newport County and MK Dons. It is no longer the Leicester of a few years ago, but the conditions are in place for a return to at least the left-hand side of the table.
The Prediction
Tough away trip for Newcastle, against a Leicester side that has appeared in high spirits since the World Cup break. Victory for the Magpies is not a foregone conclusion in a match that could be more balanced than expected and likely to be low-scoring.
Leicester-Newcastle’s likely line-up
- LEICESTER (4-1-4-1): Ward; Castagne, Faes, Amartey, Thomas; Soumaré; Maddison, Tielemans, Dewsbury-Hall, Barnes; Daka.
- NEWCASTLE (4-3-3): Pope; Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn; Longstaff, Bruno Guimaraes, Willock; Joelinton, Wilson, Almiron.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 1-1
