Leicester City will be looking to bounce back from consecutive defeats when they face West Ham United at the London Stadium on Saturday.
The high-flying Foxes were given a reality check in losses to Manchester City and particularly Liverpool either side of Christmas, but they face a West Ham side hovering just above the relegation zone.
Match preview
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Regardless of how the year has ended for them, Leicester finish 2019 in a much better position than they did 2018.
Back-to-back defeats at the hands of Manchester City and Liverpool showcased how far the Foxes have to go to match the very best in the division, but to even be mentioned in the same breath as them is testament to the work Brendan Rodgers has done since taking over in February.
The Boxing Day drubbing at home to Liverpool was a particularly chastening defeat, almost doubling the number of goals they had conceded at the King Power Stadium in one 90-minute spell, and the challenge now will be to recover and regroup with less than 48 hours between matches.
The opposition at least does become easier, with Leicester going from facing the other two teams in the top three to taking on a team hovering perilously close to the relegation zone.
Leicester are aiming to go four Premier League matches unbeaten in London for the first time having only dropped points against 'big six' opposition on their travels so far this season, while only Man City have outscored them on the road.
Those statistics spell worrying signs for a West Ham side that has lost six of their last eight league games and are winless in front of their own fans since September.
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The Hammers have picked up just one point from the last 15 available at the London Stadium, and no team in the Premier League has accrued fewer points at home over the first half of the season.
West Ham are also on the cusp of a couple of unwanted landmarks as they are in danger of losing four top-flight home games in a row for the first time since 2006 and could become only the fourth team in Premier League history to concede three or more goals in four successive home matches.
It is no surprise that the fans have grown increasingly restless with under-pressure manager Manuel Pellegrini, then, and another defeat on Saturday would plunge his future into even more doubt ahead of a crucial New Year's Day meeting with Bournemouth, who currently sit just one point and one place above them.
One issue which needs solving above any other is West Ham's ability to hold on to leads, having dropped a league-high 15 points from winning positions already in 2019-20 following their late Boxing Day defeat to Crystal Palace.
Had they saved all of those points then they would sit fourth rather than fourth-from-bottom, so tightening things up when they do go in front could be the difference between a comfortable season and a relegation battle for them.
West Ham Premier League form: LWLLWL
Leicester Premier League form: WWWDLL
Leicester form (all competitions): WWDWLL
Team News
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Leicester have no new injury concerns with Matty James still the only absentee, although Rodgers could consider resting some key players amid a relentless fixture schedule.
Top-scorer Jamie Vardy could be one of those in line for a day off, although he is only one goal short of becoming just the seventh player to score 30 Premier League goals in a single calendar year and will no doubt want to reach that milestone.
West Ham, meanwhile, are still sweating on the fitness of goalkeepers David Martin and Lukasz Fabianski, both of whom will be assessed ahead of kickoff for this one.
Either would be selected ahead of Roberto if deemed fit enough, but the Spaniard is set to start between the sticks again should neither recover in time.
Winston Reid and Jack Wilshere are both still sidelined, while Aaron Cresswell is also unavailable due to suspension, but Ryan Fredericks is back in contention having served a one-game ban of his own on Boxing Day.
West Ham possible starting lineup:
Roberto; Fredericks, Diop, Ogbonna, Masuaku; Snodgrass, Noble, Rice, Lanzini; Antonio, Haller
Leicester possible starting lineup:
Schmeichel; Pereira, Evans, Soyuncu, Chilwell; Perez, Maddison, Ndidi, Tielemans, Albrighton; Vardy
We say: West Ham 1-3 Leicester
Leicester are going through their worst spell of form yet this season, but they are still a very good team and travel to the London Stadium at the perfect time in terms of facing West Ham. The hosts have not been able to buy a win in front of their own fans of late and could be set for more misery in this one.
Barney Corkhill
