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Preview: Arsenal vs. Leicester City - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Sunday's Premier League clash between Arsenal and Leicester City, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Arsenal will aim to consolidate their hold on fourth spot in the Premier League table when Leicester City visit the Emirates Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Mikel Arteta's side survived a scare to overcome Watford 3-2 last time out, while the Foxes arrive having claimed a 2-0 advantage in the first leg of their Europa Conference League last-16 tie with Rennes.


Match preview

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta pictured on on March 6, 2022© Reuters

The goal of the day award may have been deservedly claimed by Watford's Cucho Hernandez, but Arsenal's young prospects came up with three eye-catching strikes of their own to propel themselves into fourth place after a five-goal thriller at Vicarage Road.

Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli all came up with the goods for the Gunners - who held on after a nervy few moments following Moussa Sissoko's finish - and a spot in the Champions League is now Arsenal's to lose.

The Gunners remain in fourth place at the time of writing but will likely have dropped down a place before kickoff with Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur facing off on Saturday, but knowing that at least one of their top-four rivals will drop points can only be a good thing.

Written off by many in the top-four race before the season began, Arsenal have now strung together a four-game winning streak in the Premier League - averaging two goals per game in that stretch - but Arteta was less than happy after the Watford win as his side once again won by just a one-goal margin.

Not since the Boxing Day thumping of Norwich City have Arsenal won by more, but a tally of 25 points from their last 10 games is the joint-highest in the league behind Manchester City, and only the champions and Liverpool have performed better at home than the optimistic Gunners this term.

Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers on March 5, 2022© Reuters

Things may finally be looking up for this patchy Leicester City side, who followed up their 1-0 victory over Jesse Marsch's Leeds United with a professional showing in the Conference League against Rennes at the King Power.

Marc Albrighton struck first for the Foxes on the 30-minute mark before substitute Kelechi Iheanacho made sure of the result in the last knockings of the encounter, with Brendan Rodgers's side now boasting a healthy advantage before their journey to Roazhon Park.

Also stringing together a four-game winning run ahead of this game - in all competitions rather than the Premier League - Leicester have a top-half finish firmly in their sights and currently occupy 12th spot, just two points behind 10th-placed Southampton with three games in hand.

Failure to collect silverware or qualify for Europe will no doubt go down as a disappointing season for an injury-hit Leicester, who have won just one of their last seven top-flight matches away from home and may seek to prioritise European success amid their dismal domestic fortunes.

Rodgers did steer his side to a 1-0 win at the Emirates last term, but Arsenal prevailed 2-0 at the King Power back in October - thanks in no small part to the heroics of Aaron Ramsdale - and the absence of Arsenal's nemesis Jamie Vardy will play right into the hosts' hands.

Arsenal Premier League form:
  • L
  • D
  • W
  • W
  • W
  • W

Arsenal form (all competitions):
  • L
  • D
  • W
  • W
  • W
  • W

Leicester City Premier League form:
  • D
  • L
  • D
  • L
  • W
  • W

Leicester City form (all competitions):
  • W
  • L
  • W
  • W
  • W
  • W



Team News

Emile Smith Rowe in action for Arsenal on February 19, 2022© Reuters

Arsenal's Emile Smith Rowe is expected to be back in the squad this weekend after a bout of COVID-19, but Takehiro Tomiyasu remains a doubt with his troublesome calf issue.

The Gunners are otherwise in good shape for the meeting with Leicester and have no need to alter a winning formula, with Cedric Soares once again preparing to deputise for Tomiyasu.

Despite failing to find the back of the net for the sixth Premier League game running, Alexandre Lacazette provided two assists at Vicarage Road and will expect to fend off competition from Eddie Nketiah for the number nine spot.

As for Leicester, Vardy - whose 11 goals in meetings with Arsenal is the most against any side he has faced - has picked up a fresh knee injury and will not be available for the Emirates trip.

Jonny Evans, Ryan Bertrand and Timothy Castagne are keeping Vardy company in the treatment room, and it remains to be seen if Ricardo Pereira will be fit for Sunday after a setback in his recovery from a thigh issue.

Wesley Fofana's potential comeback against Rennes was ruined by a positive COVID-19 test, and the 21-year-old - who has just recovered from a devastating fractured fibula - will likely be available for the second leg with the French side rather than the clash with the Gunners.

Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Ramsdale; Cedric, White, Gabriel, Tierney; Xhaka, Partey; Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli; Lacazette

Leicester City possible starting lineup:
Schmeichel; Justin, Amartey, Soyuncu, Thomas; Ndidi, Tielemans; Albrighton, Maddison, Barnes; Iheanacho


SM words green background

We say: Arsenal 3-1 Leicester City

Leicester could very well have conceded at least one or two to Leeds on another day, and a fatigued Foxes without Vardy facing his favourite opponent cannot expect much at the fortress that is the Emirates.

Smith Rowe's expected return will only add to Arsenal's cutting edge - not that they needed it against Watford - and Arteta's in-form crop should prevail with minimal difficulty.



Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting a home win 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.Home Win:data


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Who will win Sunday's Premier League clash between Arsenal and Leicester?

Arsenal
81.5%
Draw
8.8%
Leicester City
9.7%
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Todays Game Header Right
Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Manchester CityMan City29224368185070
2Liverpool29216275205569
3Chelsea28178357193859
4Arsenal28173844311354
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs291631047361151
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd2914874840850
7West Ham UnitedWest Ham301461049391048
8Wolverhampton WanderersWolves30144123126546
9Aston Villa29113154140136
10Leicester CityLeicester27106114246-436
11Southampton29811103645-935
12Crystal Palace2971393938134
13Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton29712102636-1033
14Newcastle UnitedNewcastle29710123249-1731
15Brentford3086163347-1430
16Leeds UnitedLeeds3078153467-3329
17Everton2774162947-1825
18Watford2964192955-2622
19Burnley27312122238-1621
20Norwich CityNorwich2945201863-4517

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