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Attendance: 31,891
Leicester logo
Premier League
Oct 29, 2017 at 4pm UK
 
Everton logo

2-0

Vardy (18'), Gray (29')
FT(HT: 2-0)

Preview: Leicester City vs. Everton

Sports Mole previews the action from Everton's trip to Leicester City in the Premier League.

Two teams under new management go head to head at the King Power Stadium on Sunday as Leicester City play host to struggling Everton in the Premier League.

Claude Puel will take charge of the Foxes for the first time, opposite Toffees caretaker boss David Unsworth as he oversees his maiden league game since taking over from the ousted Ronald Koeman on an interim basis.

Leicester start the weekend in 14th place in the table, just one point better off than 18th-placed Everton.


Leicester

Claude Puel watches on during the Premier League game between Stoke City and Southampton on December 14, 2016© SilverHub

Despite winning their last two games on the bounce in all competitions, Leicester's overall league form has been torrid.

The Foxes' 2-1 victory at Swansea City last time out was only their second win in the league this season, and their first in six in the competition.

This run of form, which included four defeats in their opening nine top-flight matches, ultimately cost Craig Shakespeare his job as head coach just four months after landing the role on a permanent basis.

Puel inherits a side which has struggled at home this term, their only Premier League win coming against Brighton & Hove Albion on August 19, although a midweek win over Leeds United in the EFL Cup will no doubt have helped lift morale at the King Power.

Defending has been a problem for Leicester all season, with the Foxes managing to keep just two clean sheets in their last eight matches, their last shutout coming during a goalless draw with Bournemouth in late September.

The hosts tend to struggle with Sunday fixtures, failing to secure victory in any of the seven they played last term, drawing two and losing five.

This is something Everton will be looking to exploit, although they will need to keep close tabs on Jamie Vardy, who has an impressive record against the Toffees, having provided two goals and two assists in the last four fixtures between these two clubs.

Recent form: DLDDWW
Recent form (all competitions): LDLDDW


Everton

Interim Toffees boss David Unsworth watches on during the EFL Cup game between Chelsea and Everton on October 25, 2017© SilverHub

Unsworth's reign as Everton's caretaker manager began with a 2-1 defeat at Chelsea in the EFL Cup, but the young side he selected earned plaudits for the fight and organisation they showed on the field, qualities that were generally lacking under Koeman.

The Blues' dire league run under the Dutchman, which includes just one win in seven and a single clean sheet all season, sees them start the afternoon inside the bottom three.

Away from home, the picture is even bleaker for the Toffees, who are without victory on the road in their last 12 outings, having drawn six and lost six of those fixtures.

Unsworth's men have also struggled in Europe, earning just one point from their opening three Europa League matches to take their dismal run to just two wins in their last 13 games in all competitions.

Goals continue to be a problem for Everton, an issue that has persisted since the sale of Romelu Lukaku to Manchester United over the summer, with Wayne Rooney and Oumar Niasse the only players to have found the net for the visitors this season.

If Rooney nets against Leicester, it will mark the first time he has scored in three consecutive matches since January 2016.

Recent form: LLWLDL
Recent form (all competitions): WLDLLL


Team News

Leicester City defender Robert Huth in action during the Premier League clash with Chelsea at the King Power Stadium on January 14, 2017© SilverHub

Puel takes charge of his first match as Leicester boss with an absentee in both defence and midfield, with Robert Huth and Matty James out with ongoing ankle and calf injuries respectively.

Meanwhile, the Foxes are still unable to field Adrien Silva in the centre of the park, having declined to appeal against FIFA's decision to reject his registration when they signed him on deadline day.

Everton's main holding midfielder Idrissa Gueye is suspended after being sent off during the 5-2 home defeat to Arsenal last weekend, meaning that Morgan Schneiderlin will likely serve as the Blues' enforcer in the engine room.

Unsworth's only other absentees are long-term injury victims Yannick Bolasie, Ross Barkley and Seamus Coleman.

Leicester possible starting lineup:
Schmeichel; Simpson, Morgan, Maguire, Fuchs; Iborra, Ndidi, Albrighton, Mahrez; Okazaki; Vardy

Everton possible starting lineup:
Pickford, Holgate, Keane, Williams, Jagielka, Baines, Sigurdsson, Schneiderlin, Vlasic, Rooney, Calvert-Lewin


Head To Head

Everton defeated Leicester twice in the league last season by an aggregate scoreline of 6-2, but those are the Foxes' only defeats in the last eight fixtures between the two teams in all competitions.

During those fixtures, the hosts have won three times and drawn on three occasions.

Matches between Leicester and Everton are usually high-scoring affairs, producing 36 goals in the last nine Premier League encounters.


Sports Mole Logo

We say: Leicester City 1-1 Everton

There is often a honeymoon period when a new manager takes charge, and with this in mind, both of these teams will come out swinging on Sunday.

Leicester's last two results, an away win to Swansea in the league and victory over Leeds in the EFL Cup, will see them approach the match in confident form, but Everton will take solace from their battling performance at Chelsea, despite losing the midweek cup tie.

With both sides eager to avoid defeat and impress new coaches, they are likely to cancel one another out and play out a 1-1 draw.



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Everton manager Ronald Koeman watches on during his side's Europa League clash with Apollon Limassol at Goodison Park on September 28, 2017
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