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

Sports Mole previews Saturday's Premier League clash between Leicester City and Norwich City, including team news and predicted lineups.

Leicester City will be looking to make it nine Premier League wins in a row when they welcome struggling Norwich City to the King Power Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The Foxes are currently second in the Premier League table having enjoyed a fine campaign to date, but Norwich are inside the relegation zone with just 11 points to show from their 16 games thus far.


Match preview

Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers pictured on December 8, 2019© Reuters

Leicester set a club record of eight straight top-flight victories when they recorded a 4-1 win at Aston Villa last weekend. The team's form since the October international break has been staggering, and they will fancy their chances of making it nine successive Premier League wins on Saturday afternoon.

The Foxes have only lost two of their 16 league outings this season, which came away to Manchester United and away to Liverpool. It would be fair to say that the hosts were fortunate to triumph on both occasions, though, and Leicester have not missed a beat since the defeat at Anfield.

Wins over Burnley, Southampton, Crystal Palace, Arsenal, Brighton & Hove Albion, Everton, Watford and Villa have seen them storm up the table, leaving them six points clear of third-placed Manchester City.

Brendan Rodgers's side are still eight points off leaders Liverpool but sit an incredible 14 points above fifth-placed Man United, showing that they are in a wonderful position to secure a top-four finish.

Leicester's next two after this one are away to Man City and at home to Liverpool, though, and Rodgers will be desperate to put another three points on the board ahead of those two mouthwatering contests.

Norwich City manager Daniel Farke pictured on November 8, 2019© Reuters

Just 11 points from 16 matches have left Norwich in 19th position in the table, four points behind 17th-placed Villa heading into this weekend's fixtures.

The Canaries have lost a league-high 11 matches this term, including their last two against Southampton and Sheffield United to keep them firmly rooted inside the relegation zone.

Daniel Farke's side did pick up four points from their two matches against Everton and Arsenal between November 23 and December 1, but back-to-back defeats have left them in a tough spot heading into this weekend's contest against a team in serious form.

Teemu Pukki and Todd Cantwell have contributed 12 Premier League goals between them this season, but not too many others have managed to get their name on the scoresheet, and it remains to be seen whether the Canaries can hit the back of the net on enough occasions to keep themselves in the division.

The omens are not exactly terrific for Norwich ahead of this game, though, considering that they have lost their last three meetings with Leicester in all competitions, with their last success coming in a Championship clash in March 2011.

Leicester City Premier League form: WWWWWW

Norwich City Premier League form: LLWDLL


Team News

Leicester City's Kelechi Iheanacho celebrates scoring their second goal with teammates against Everton on November 1, 2019© Reuters

Leicester boss Rodgers revealed at Thursday's press conference that, aside from Matty James, he has a fully-fit squad heading into Saturday afternoon's clash at the King Power Stadium.

As a result, there are not expected to be many surprises to the XI. Indeed, the same team that started at Villa Park is likely to take to the field, with Dennis Praet getting the nod over Harvey Barnes.

Kelechi Iheanacho's goal last time out is expected to keep the forward in the side, meanwhile, meaning that Ayoze Perez might have to accept a position on the bench once again.

Elsewhere, the likes of Jamie Vardy - who has scored in every one of Leicester's last eight Premier League matches - James Maddison and Ben Chilwell will all feature for the Foxes.

As for Norwich, Grant Hanley, Timm Klose and Josip Drmic remain unavailable for selection, but Farke has no fresh injury concerns heading into the Premier League clash.

Cantwell and Jamal Lewis could both return to the starting XI, while Tom Trybull is also pushing for a spot in midfield having been an unused substitute against Sheffield United.

Onel Hernandez and Emiliano Buendia are both expected to keep their positions, though, with the pair supporting leading scorer Pukki in the final third of the field.

Leicester City possible starting lineup:
Schmeichel; Ricardo, Evans, Soyuncu, Chilwell; Tielemans, Ndidi, Praet; Maddison; Vardy, Iheanacho

Norwich City possible starting lineup:
Krul; Aarons, Zimmermann, Godfrey, Lewis; Tettey, Trybull; Buendia, Cantwell, Hernandez; Pukki


Sports Mole Logo

We say: Leicester City 2-0 Norwich City

It is difficult to predict anything other than a home win this weekend when taking everything into consideration. Surprise results do tend to occur at this stage of the campaign, but we fancy Leicester to triumph at the King Power Stadium in routine fashion.


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Who will win Saturday's Premier League clash between Leicester City and Norwich City?

Leicester City
Draw
Norwich City
Leicester City
0.0%
Draw
0.0%
Norwich City
0.0%
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Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool17161042142849
2Leicester CityLeicester17123240112939
3Manchester CityMan City17112447192835
4Chelsea179263125629
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs177553224826
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd176742620625
7Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd176742116525
8Wolverhampton WanderersWolves175932421324
9Arsenal175752427-322
10Crystal Palace166461418-422
11Newcastle UnitedNewcastle176471724-722
12Burnley176382229-721
13Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton165472024-419
14Bournemouth175481924-519
15West Ham UnitedWest Ham175481928-919
16Everton175392029-918
17Aston Villa1743102330-715
18Southampton1743101836-1815
19Norwich CityNorwich1733111835-1712
20Watford171610932-239

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