Good afternoon! Thank you very much for joining
Sports Mole for today's Premier League clash between
Leicester City and
West Ham United at the King Power Stadium!
Leicester have gone off the boil in recent months yet could still ensure a top-half finish today, but it is West Ham who are in desperate need of a victory. The Hammers are in a precarious position with just three games of the season remaining, but a win here would be a huge step towards survival.
We will have a closer look at the situations of both teams in a short while, but first let's check out the team news...
LEICESTER STARTING XI: Hamer; Benalouane, Morgan, Maguire, Fuchs; Choudhury, Iborra, Silva, Mahrez; Diabaté; Vardy
LEICESTER SUBS: Jakupović, Dragović, Barnes, Hughes, Gray, Thomas, Iheanacho
WEST HAM STARTING XI: Adrian; Ogbonna, Rice, Cresswell; Zabaleta, Noble, Kouyate, Mario, Masuaku; Lanzini; Arnautovic
WEST HAM SUBS: Trott, Evra, Cullen, Fernandes, Obiang, Hugill, Carroll
What can we make of those two teams, then?
Well, the headline news as far as the home side are concerned is that Vicente Iborra has been passed fit to start this one, having been struggling with a hamstring injury of late. The Spaniard returned to training earlier this week but was still considering a doubt for this game until a late fitness test, which he has passed.
Iborra's return is a timely piece of good news for Leicester on the injury front, but for the most part it has been bad news for the Foxes, who are missing nine first-team players for today's game due to a mixture of injury and suspension.
Schmeichel, Okazaki, Ndidi, Huth, James, Chilwell, Simpson and Amartey are all sidelined for Claude Puel's side, while Marc Albrighton today begins his suspension for the red card he picked up against Crystal Palace. Albrighton has also been charged with misconduct, so could face an even longer spell on the sidelines.
Leicester do still have their two star players fit and healthy, though, and Riyad Mahrez and Jamie Vardy are once again named in the starting lineup for this afternoon's match as they look to undo a leaky West Ham defence.
Mahrez in particular will be of interest to watch with speculation over his future beginning to swirl again, despite the winger revealing that he has withdrawn the transfer request he submitted in January. The likes of Man City and Arsenal are understood to still be interested in the Algerian, so he could be playing some of his final games for Leicester over the closing weeks of the season.
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Claude Puel has made five changes to the team which was beaten so comprehensively at Crystal Palace last weekend, including a few enforced ones with Albrighton suspended and Ndidi and Chilwell both injured.
Iheanacho and Gray drop to the bench, meanwhile, as the Foxes bring Benalouane, Fuchs, Iborra, Silva and Diabate into their starting XI.
As for West Ham, Andy Carroll is named in the matchday squad following his falling-out with manager
David Moyes, but the striker once again has to make do with a place on the bench this afternoon.
Carroll was sent home from training following a row with Moyes and was fined by the club for leaving the bench early during the defeat to Manchester City, having been overlooked as Moyes made a triple change. However, he has since apologised for his behaviour and is now back in the fold.
Another big question for Moyes to answer with his team selection today was which goalkeeper he would choose, although his hand has been forced somewhat with Joe Hart ruled out due to illness.
Adrian retains his place in the squad, then, having also started against Man City due to Hart being ineligible. Hart is running out of time to force his way back in Gareth Southgate's thinking as England's number one, so to miss this one through illness will be a big blow to him.
At the other end of the pitch,
Marko Arnautovic once again leads the line for the Hammers ahead of more established strikers such as Carroll and Hugill, and the Austrian is likely to be West Ham's main goal threat today.
Arnautovic has been directly involved in eight goals in his last seven Premier League away games for Moyes's side, scoring five times and creating three more for his teammates too.
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Manuel Lanzini will also be expected to provide some attacking thrust for the visitors today, and Moyes is clearly satisfied with something the team are doing as he has made only two changes to his side despite their 4-1 defeat last time out.
One of those changes comes in midfield as Joao Mario is recalled in place of Fernandes, who drops to the bench, and Patrice Evra is also among the subs having been replaced in the starting lineup by Masuaku.
This is a huge game for West Ham, of course, and they are in much greater need of all three points than Leicester, but the Foxes will still be keen to return to winning ways having seen the pressure grow on themselves over recent months.
Leicester are winless in their last four games, and most recently fell to a chastening 5-0 defeat at the hands of relegation-threatened Crystal Palace last weekend. At the very least, Claude Puel will want a response to that drubbing.
In the wake of last weekend's defeat, some reports claimed that Claude Puel's job could be under question given Leicester's recent form, which seems a touch harsh considering he is just one win away from guaranteeing a top-half finish this season.
Southampton fans may warn the Foxes against sacking Puel considering the position they find themselves in now, but the Leicester owners certainly aren't shy to controversially sacking a manager - as Nigel Pearson, Claudio Ranieri and Craig Shakespeare will testify to.
Leicester can finish no higher than eighth this season, but they have already matched their final points tally for last season, so there is progress being made at the King Power.
The Foxes are four points clear of the bottom half and could guarantee that top-half finish today, but defeat would ensure that they can also finish no higher than their current position of ninth. It is mid-table mediocrity for Leicester at the moment.
Leicester come into today's match having lost three of their last four Premier League outings, which is more than they had lost in their previous 10 games in the competitions.
However, they have still only won two of their last 11 league games, losing five times, and looking even further back they have picked up just four wins from their last 18 stretching back to before Christmas.
BREAKING! Some good news for West Ham fans as another of the relegation places has been decided. Stoke squandered a lead to lose 2-1 to Crystal Palace in the early kickoff, condemning the Potters to Championship football next season.
Leicester have failed to score in their last two outings, but on the whole goals have not been a major problem for them this season, with the Foxes' tally of 49 making them the highest scorers outside the top six.
Another blank today would make it three games without scoring for the first time since January 2016, and that run could well continue to the end of the season considering they have a difficult run-in which sees them face North London duo Arsenal and Tottenham in their final two games.
Leicester's form here at the King Power Stadium this season has been very inconsistent, with six wins, six draws and five defeats at home in the league - a points tally which would leave them 11th if only home form counted, whereas they would be seventh if only away form counted.
Indeed, the Foxes are currently on a five-game winless streak here across all competitions, which is their longest run since December 2014. Leicester have lost seven home games this season, but have also beaten the likes of Liverpool, Tottenham, Everton and Burnley here, all of whom are above them in the table.
One safe bet this afternoon may be on a few cards to be dished out, as Leicester have been shown a league-high five reds this season whereas West Ham have picked up 70 yellow cards - more than any other team in the division.
This will be the fifth time Claude Puel and David Moyes have come up against each other, incidentally, and Puel is as yet unbeaten in those meetings, winning two and drawing two of the previous four.
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The Stoke result will have come as good news for West Ham, but Moyes knows that he can ill-afford for Puel's unbeaten record against him to be extended today given that Southampton are starting to build a bit of momentum in their battle against the drop.
Matters are still in West Ham's hands, but a three-point gap over the relegation zone certainly isn't safe. Southampton take on Everton in the late kickoff today, and there will be plenty of West Ham fans watching on in interest I am sure.
The Hammers are four points worse off than at the same stage of last season, but do find themselves in the same position of 15th nonetheless.
Perhaps the biggest concern for Moyes heading into the closing stages of the campaign will be the difficulty of his side's run-in. Leicester may not be in the best of form, but they can still pose a massive threat and after today Moyes takes on two of his former clubs - Manchester United and Everton - to see out the season.
Indeed, six of West Ham's final seven games this season will have come against teams currently in the top half of the table, including facing four of the top six.
The most recent of those was last weekend when West Ham were brushed aside by champions Manchester City, who coasted to a 4-1 victory to make it back-to-back losses by that scoreline for David Moyes's side.
West Ham are winless in their last four matches, drawing two and losing two of those, while they have only won one of their last eight, and all five of their defeats in that time have come via a three-goal margin too.
Another defeat today would see the Hammers lose three games in a row for only the second time this season - the first coming in March - which is a little surprising for a team in their precarious predicament. However, they have also failed to win back-to-back matches at any point this season, and it is that lack of consistency which could end up costing them.
I mentioned earlier that cards might be a safe bet, but goals will be too here, with West Ham playing the role of entertainers in recent weeks - although they have more often than not done so in a bad way.
There have been 30 goals in West Ham's last eight league matches, but only nine of them have come from the Hammers. It is no surprise, then, that they have the worst defensive record in the Premier League, and only once have they ever conceded more in a Premier League season than the 67 they have shipped this time around - letting in 70 in 2010-11 when they finished bottom of the table.
The bulk of the goals have gone in when West Ham are playing away - a league-high 42, to be exact - and that includes 16 goals conceded in their last five Premier League away games.
The Hammers have not kept a clean sheet on the road since December 16, but at the other end their scoring run is even longer, finding the back of the net in 10 successive games on the road since November. That run has already equalled the club's Premier League record, and you have to go back to December 1966 for a longer scoring streak from West Ham.
David Moyes's side have won only two Premier League away games all season, losing 10 of their 18 outings, and only Brighton and Stoke have picked up fewer points on their travels.
West Ham come into this one winless in their last six away games in all competitions, losing five of those, so they will be thankful that this is their final away game of the season.
PREDICTION: Right, we're 10 minutes away from kickoff at the King Power Stadium, which means that it is time for a prediction!
This is an intriguing game considering Leicester have little but pride left to fight for, whereas West Ham should be fighting for their levels. On paper it should be a home win, but both sides are in poor form so it could go either way. I am going to sit on the fence and go for a draw.
SPORTS MOLE SAYS: Leicester 2-2 West Ham
The recent history of this fixture belongs to Leicester, who are unbeaten in their last seven meetings with West Ham across all competitions - including their last six in the Premier League, winning four of those.
That run stretches back to December 2014, so the Foxes have certainly been something of a bogey team for the Hammers in recent years.
The King Power Stadium in particular has not been a happy hunting ground for West Ham, and today they will be going in search of their first ever top-flight win at the Stadium.
Indeed, West Ham's winless run away to Leicester stretches back to their time at Filbert Street, failing to come out on top in their last five attempts with two draws and three defeats. The Hammers did actually win three of their first five Premier League away games against Leicester prior to this run.
The reverse fixture in November ended all square at 1-1, with Albrighton opening the scoring early on for Leicester before Kouyate levelled things up right on the stroke of half time.
Leicester did come out on top the last time they hosted West Ham, though, with Islam Slimani scoring the only goal of a New Year's Eve game in 2016.
Right, the players are out and we're just about ready to go now. A reminder of the team news before we get started...
LEICESTER STARTING XI: Hamer; Benalouane, Morgan, Maguire, Fuchs; Choudhury, Iborra, Silva, Mahrez; Diabaté; Vardy
WEST HAM STARTING XI: Adrian; Ogbonna, Rice, Cresswell; Zabaleta, Noble, Kouyate, Mario, Masuaku; Lanzini; Arnautovic
KICKOFF: West Ham get us underway at a sunny King Power Stadium!
Both teams are just feeling each other out in the opening stages of this match, with the vast majority of the play coming in the middle third. Neither side have kept the ball for any substantial length of time yet.
UPDATE: There has been an early goal at Vicarage Road, where Roberto Pereyra has given Watford the lead against Newcastle.
CHANCE! The first hint of a chance falls to West Ham, but Lanzini sees his effort blocked by a fine sliding Benalouane challenge. The ball bounces to Zabaleta, who reaches the byline, but his cutback comes to nothing.
Hamer gets away with one here. The ball breaks into the box and Arnautovic never gives up on it, but it always looks as though Hamer will get there first. For some reason, though, the keeper goes with his feet rather than with his hands and completely misses it. Arnautovic just overruns it, though, and that allows Hamer to collect it at the second attempt.
Another West Ham cross arrives in the box and it is not properly dealt with, but Morgan does well to win the second ball and clear the danger.
SHOT! Lanzini is looking the most dangerous for West Ham right now, and he works a bit of space for himself again here. His low drive is goalbound, but it hits Arnautovic just in front of the keeper and bounces wide.
CHANCE! Another half-chance for the visitors as Masuaku whips a dangerous cross into the box. Zabaleta meets it at the back post, but plants his header comfortably wide of the target.
West Ham look really up for this one. The visitors have been the better team in this opening 15 minutes, with Leicester playing as a team with little to fight for and West Ham clearly fighting for their lives.
West Ham come forward again as Leicester struggle to get the ball out of their own half, but Mario's shot is blocked and Noble misses his kick after it bounced towards him.
West Ham are looking particularly dangerous down the left flank, and Cresswell attacks via that avenue now before seeing his cross into the box plucked out of the air by Hamer.
Leicester have been really poor so far, and there is already discontent growing amongst the home fans. They want to see more from their side here.
The hosts have approached this game as your typical end-of-season clash, which is not what the fans want to see. West Ham's own intensity has just dropped a level too, so there isn't much to shout about in this game at the moment.
Cresswell swings a good looking cross into the middle which Arnautovic is interested in, but Maguire does well to clear the danger.
Good claim from Adrian as he comes off his line before plucking a cross out of the air which Silva may have reached at the back post without the interception.
Vardy has been so isolated so far today, struggling to get a kick in the opening half an hour or so. Mahrez has also been very quiet, which goes some way to explaining why Leicester have offered so little so far.
Better from the hosts as Silva launches a slick passing move before going for goal, but his effort deflects off a defender and falls kindly into the arms of Adrian.
CHANCE! This is the best chance we have seen so far today. Lanzini slides a pass down the left channel for Arnautovic, but Hamer is out quickly to cut down the angle and make a crucial save.
UPDATE: There has been a second goal at Vicarage Road, and once again it has gone the way of Watford with Andre Gray doubling their lead against Newcastle.
OFF THE BAR! Arnautovic is inches away from breaking the deadlock! A free kick is flicked on and the West Ham striker is more alert than Morgan in the box. Arnautovic unleashes a first-time powerful volley which crashes against the bar with Hamer well beaten.
GOAL! Leicester 0-1 West Ham (Joao Mario)
Huge goal for West Ham as they take a deserved lead with 11 minutes remaining of this first half!
Once again it comes down the left flank as Masuaku storms past Benalouane before lifting his cross to the back post. Arnautovic takes it down before turning it back inside, where Mario is waiting to stroke his finish home.
That goal could be exactly what his game needs to spark it into life - and the home fans will be hoping that it lights a fire under their team too.
UPDATE: More good news for West Ham as relegation rivals Swansea have fallen behind against Bournemouth courtesy of Ryan Fraser's strike.
SHOT! Finally a meaningful effort on goal from the hosts as Diabate beats one man just outside the area before going for goal. However, he drags his effort wide of the far post.
UPDATE: Watford have spurned a glorious chance to go 3-0 up before half time against Newcastle, with Dubravka saving a penalty from Troy Deeney.
YELLOW CARD! Arnautovic becomes the first name in the book for an off-the-ball incident with Maguire, lashing out at the defender after being held off.
SHOT! Lanzini bursts into life with a dart past Morgan inside the area, but the angle is always closing and in the end he can only blast his effort into the side-netting.
CHANCE! Cresswell commits and is beaten to the ball by Mahrez, who finds himself through down the right flank. The winger has time to pick out his pass and tries to tee up Vardy, but the Englishman cannot get a clean connection on his finish.
There will be just one minute of added time at the end of this first half.
HALF TIME: Leicester 0-1 West Ham
Boos greet the half-time whistle as the Leicester fans let their players know exactly how unhappy they are with that poor first-half performance.
West Ham go into the break with a valuable lead which would take them a huge step closer to survival if they can hold out. The visitors have been by far the better team, with Leicester failing to turn up at all so far.
The only goal of the game so far came after 34 minutes when West Ham finally got the deserved breakthrough as Joao Mario tapped home from close range.
Once again the move began down the left flank, which has provided most of West Ham's chances so far, as Masuaku stood the ball up to the back post where Arnautovic was waiting. The Austrian took a touch before knocking the ball back inside for Mario, who was left with a simple finish.
There have been other chances for the Hammers too, most notably when Arnautovic crashed a volley against the crossbar just moments before they got the opening goal of the game.
Lanzini has also looked dangerous for the visitors, while Masuaku has caused plenty of problems down the left flank too. There are more goals in this one for West Ham if they really push for them.
As for Leicester, they need something to change as their performance in that opening 45 minutes was utterly toothless. They are playing as though they are already thinking about their summer holidays, and the fans know it.
Claude Puel may well look to make a change at the interval just to inject some life into his side. They have not looked interested so far today, with the likes of Mahrez and Vardy being peripheral figures at best.
KICKOFF: Leicester get us back underway for the second half, and sure enough they have made a change with Aleksandar Dragovic replacing Iborra.
Almost a chance for Leicester as the ball drops to Morgan after a free kick into the box, but his effort is blocked.
YELLOW CARD! The Leicester fans want a red card as Cresswell stumbles when being chased back towards his own goal by Vardy. He grabs the ball assuming a free kick will be given against Vardy, but instead the ref gives Leicester a free kick right on the edge of the area, and then only produces a yellow. Cresswell got away with one there!
Mahrez swings the resulting free kick into the area, but Adrian gets an important hand to it.
This has been much better from Leicester in the opening stages of the second half. They are finally beginning to show a bit of urgency on the ball, and the fans are responding.
West Ham respond with a quick break, and they really should make more of this. Mario slides a pass down the right channel for Arnautovic, who looks to play it into the middle for an unmarked Lanzini. However, both of his attempted crosses are well blocked by first Choudhury and then Dragovic.
UPDATE: Could Deeney be made to rue that earlier missed penalty? Newcastle have pulled a goal back against Watford at Vicarage Road, now trailing 2-1 courtesy of an Ayoze Perez strike.
This second half has been a lot better than the first so far, with Leicester making more of a game of it. The fans let their team know they expected more at half time, and the players are responding now.
Cresswell wins a header against Mahrez but doesn't clear the danger, allowing Mahrez to pick up the loose ball. He advances into the box and at one point looks to have beaten Cresswell on the outside, but there is cover there and he is eventually crowded out.
LEICESTER SUBS: Claude Puel makes his final two changes as Choudhury and Diabate are replaced by Kelechi Iheanacho and Demarai Gray.
The Leicester fans don't sound happy about those changes - a chorus of 'You don't know what you're doing' rings around the stadium.
SHOT! A clearance from Ogbonna only goes as far as the edge of the box, where Mahrez wins a header to nod it into the path of Maguire. The big defender catches his first-time half-volley very sweetly, but the ball is always rising and flies over the crossbar.
YELLOW CARD! Dragovic goes into the box for a bodycheck on Mario.
GOAL! Leicester 0-2 West Ham (Mark Noble)
Where on earth has this come from?!
Mark Noble scores an absolute beauty to double West Ham's lead, rifling in a first-time volley from around 30 yards out!
A free kick into the box is cleared as far as the West Ham skipper, and he produces a perfect volley. The ball bounces once as it zips right into the bottom corner, leaving Hamer no chance. Everything about that volley was perfect - a goal of the season contender from Noble.
Leicester had come back into this match in the second half, but that bolt from the blue from Noble has given them a mountain to climb now. The West Ham fans are chanting that they are staying up, and this win would take them very close.
Leicester win a free kick a long way out which Mahrez takes, but his shot hits the wall before going behind for a corner.
And that goal would be one Paolo Di Canio himself would have been proud of...
CHANCE! Moments after seeing a penalty appeal turned down for Noble, Arnautovic shows good strength and footwork to dance into the box and past a couple of defenders. He finally manages to get a shot away, but his effort is blocked over the top for a corner.
Less than 20 minutes remaining in this match now, and Leicester are beginning to run out of time. The hosts still haven't had a shot on target today.
WEST HAM SUB: Change for the visitors here as Andy Carroll replaces Lanzini.
Gray bursts past Zabaleta down the left flank before putting a cross into the box, but the delivery is poor and the keeper collects it easily.
Arnautovic is looking out on his feet right now. He needs treatment having looked tired for around 10 minutes now, and it may not be long before he is forced off here.
WEST HAM SUB: Sure enough there is the sub, with Arnautovic being replaced by Edmilson Fernandes.
The delay grows even longer thanks to a pitch invader before we finally get back underway. There will be a hefty chunk of stoppage time after that.
The pressure is starting to grow from Leicester now as they win a couple of corners in quick succession. Carroll is there to deal with both, though.
Really good battling from Carroll as he beats Fuchs before playing a one-two with Noble, but his resulting cross is a poor one.
SAVE! The biggest cheer of the day comes as Leicester finally have their first shot on target! Silva directs a volley towards goal which is easy for Adrian to save, but the King Power reacts as though it has gone in! Those ironic cheers will not be music to the ears of Puel.
CHANCE! Suddenly Adrian finds himself overworked! Benalouane pulls off his man and nods the ball towards the near post, but Adrian reacts well to claw it away.
SAVE! Another save from Adrian as he collects another Benalouane header from a corner.
There will be five minutes added time at the end of this match.
UPDATE: West Brom are just refusing to go down! They have scored what will surely prove to be a stoppage-time winner to stun Tottenham at The Hawthorns!
WEST HAM SUB: The visitors make a late change as Patrice Evra replaces Masuaku.
FULL TIME: Leicester City 0-2 West Ham United
More boos greet the full time whistle from the fans who have stayed until the end, which isn't too many. Leicester fall to another defeat here against a West Ham side who have taken a huge stride towards safety with this victory.
Joao Mario opened the scoring for the Hammers in the first half, but the headlines were written by Mark Noble, whose spectacular volley shortly after the hour mark put the game beyond a toothless Leicester side.
Right, that is all we have time for this evening!
Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for today's match as West Ham move six points clear of the relegation zone courtesy of a 2-0 win over Leicester City at the King Power Stadium. I will leave you with our match report, and be sure to stick around for reaction too.
From me, though, it is goodbye for now!
