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Leicester logo
Premier League | Gameweek 21
Jan 21, 2023 at 3pm UK
King Power Stadium
Brighton logo

Leicester
2 - 2
Brighton

Albrighton (38'), Barnes (63')
FT(HT: 1-1)
Mitoma (27'), Ferguson (88')
De Zerbi (53'), Mac Allister (90+3')

Preview: Leicester City vs. Brighton & Hove Albion - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Saturday's Premier League clash between Leicester City and Brighton & Hove Albion, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Aiming to end a miserable run of four successive Premier League defeats, Leicester City host high-flying Brighton & Hove Albion at the King Power Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Brendan Rodgers's side were comfortably beaten 2-0 by Nottingham Forest last weekend, while the Seagulls swooped and destroyed Liverpool 3-0 on the South Coast.


Match preview

Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers during the match on January 10, 2023© Reuters

The World Cup break was a blessing for some teams and a nightmare for others, and it has certainly proven to be the latter for Leicester, who are still searching for their first point let alone their first victory in the top flight since the Qatar tournament.

At the City Ground last weekend, the Foxes held out in the first 45 minutes before two strikes from Brennan Johnson - both set up by Morgan Gibbs-White - gave the Tricky Trees a thoroughly deserved win, although the story could have been different if Harvey Barnes did not miss a couple of gilt-edged chances.

From losing only one of their last six games before the World Cup to going on a dismal four-game losing run, the 15th-placed Foxes are now only two points clear of the dotted line as a relegation dogfight rears its ugly head, and their only win of the New Year so far was that 1-0 FA Cup success at an out-of-sorts Gillingham.

The transfer window may be open, but Leicester fans will not be holding their breath over any potential solutions to their attacking crisis, which has seen Rodgers's men score just two goals in their last six matches and just one from their last four in the Premier League.

All three of the Foxes' most recent top-flight home games have ended in defeat without a single goal being scored by those in blue, and even though the hosts have never suffered four consecutive scoreless league defeats on their own turf before, very few will back Rodgers's side with any real confidence here.

Brighton & Hove Albion manager Roberto De Zerbi applauds fans after the match on October 29, 2022© Reuters

The Leandro Trossard saga threatened to derail Brighton's preparations for the visit of Liverpool to the Amex, but Roberto De Zerbi's clinical outfit coped just fine in the absence of the AWOL Belgian, as Jurgen Klopp witnessed the 'worst game' of his Reds career.

After surviving a first-half penalty shout and getting to half time with their clean sheet intact, Liverpool's defence soon crumbled, as Solly March bagged a brace before Danny Welbeck came off the bench to seal a phenomenal victory nine minutes from time.

Now basking in the glory of a three-game winning run in all tournaments - during which time they have scored a whopping 12 goals - Brighton are firmly in the European mix as they lie seventh in the rankings, just three points behind fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur, who lost to Manchester City on Thursday night.

Avergaeing over three goals per game in their last five matches - even scoring twice against leaders Arsenal and having a third disallowed for a marginal offside - Brighton will need to be wary of recent frailties at the back, as they have failed to keep a clean sheet away from home in the Premier League since August.

Leicester and Brighton played out a seven-goal thriller at the Amex earlier this season, which the Seagulls won 5-2, and De Zerbi is on the verge of leading the visitors to three successive Premier League victories for only the second time in the club's history.

Leicester City Premier League form:


Leicester City form (all competitions):


Brighton & Hove Albion Premier League form:


Brighton & Hove Albion form (all competitions):



Team News

Brighton & Hove Albion's Leandro Trossard celebrates scoring against Chelsea on October 29, 2022© Reuters

One minor positive for Rodgers is that he did not witness any more players enter the treatment room at the City Ground, where a total of eight players missed out, including long-term absentees Ricardo Pereira, Ryan Bertrand, James Justin, Jonny Evans and Boubakary Soumare.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and James Maddison should both have good chances of returning in a major boost for Rodgers, although Ayoze Perez is still touch and go.

The Spaniard could therefore be in with a chance of displacing Marc Albrighton on the right, while another toothless attacking performance from Jamie Vardy will benefit Patson Daka or Kelechi Iheanacho's chances of a recall to the first XI.

As for Brighton, Trossard has played his final game for the club after completing his move to Arsenal on Friday, while Levi Colwill is understood to be facing several weeks out with a quadriceps injury.

Polish midfielder Jakub Moder will take several more weeks out as he recovers from a knee injury, and thoughts are with former Brighton man Enock Mwepu, who retired in October following the discovery of a hereditary cardiac condition and was recently hospitalised in his native Zambia.

De Zerbi will certainly keep changes to a minimum, but Adam Webster is in line to deputise for the stricken Colwill, but Welbeck has done all that he can to displace 18-year-old Evan Ferguson at the tip of the attack.

Leicester City possible starting lineup:
Ward; Castagne, Amartey, Faes, Thomas; Ndidi, Mendy; Dewsbury-Hall, Tielemans, Barnes; Daka

Brighton & Hove Albion possible starting lineup:
Sanchez; Gross, Dunk, Webster, Estupinan; Caicedo, Mac Allister; March, Lallana, Mitoma; Welbeck


SM words green background

We say: Leicester City 0-3 Brighton & Hove Albion

Leicester's goalless outing at Nottingham Forest was not for the want of trying, as the chances they created were let down by a lack of killer instinct, but Brighton are not renowned for any defensive excellence away from home.

However, one consolation goal may even be a step too far for the Foxes, with Brighton scoring at will and sure to take advantage of the hosts' ongoing injury and confidence issues to extend their winning streak.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.


Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting under 3.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Under 3.5:data


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Game History

How you voted: Leicester vs Brighton

Leicester City
18.0%
Draw
9.3%
Brighton & Hove Albion
72.7%
183
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
CLeicester CityLeicester453141089395097
2Ipswich TownIpswich452712690573393
3Leeds UnitedLeeds45279980413990
4Southampton452591185622384
5Norwich CityNorwich4521101479631673
6West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom4520121367472072
7Hull City451913136859970
8Middlesbrough45199176861766
9Coventry CityCoventry4517131569571264
10Preston North EndPreston45189185664-863
11Bristol City451711175347662
12Cardiff CityCardiff45195215165-1462
13Swansea CitySwansea451512185964-557
14Watford451317156058256
15Sunderland45168215252056
16Millwall451511194455-1156
17Queens Park RangersQPR451411204557-1253
18Stoke CityStoke451411204560-1553
19Blackburn RoversBlackburn451311215874-1650
20Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds45148234268-2650
21Plymouth ArgylePlymouth451212215870-1248
22Birmingham CityBirmingham451211224965-1647
23Huddersfield TownHuddersfield45918184875-2745
RRotherham UnitedRotherham45412293287-5524


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