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Analysing Leicester City's Premier League run-in

Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at the fixtures Leicester City will have to play if the 2019-20 Premier League season resumes.

Despite a drop off in form since the turn of the year, Leicester City were well on course to securing a top-four finish in the Premier League before the coronavirus pandemic struck.

The Foxes may have won just two of their eight matches since brushing aside Newcastle United on New Year's Day, but they were still third and eight points above Manchester United in fifth at the time of the shutdown.

Brendan Rodgers admitted last week that he is eager for the campaign to be played to its conclusion so that his side can "finish the job", even if that means waiting another couple of months before a ball can be kicked.

With a place in the Champions League for the second time in five seasons in their grasp, Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at City's remaining nine fixtures.


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

One thing that will need to discussed if the Premier League campaign is given the green light to continue is the order of the remaining fixtures.

Leicester were scheduled to travel to Watford in their next outing, which could well have proved to be a banana skin fixture of sorts.

The Foxes have lost three successive league games against the Hornets, each by a 2-1 scoreline, in a fixture that has been won by the home side in nine of the past 11 meetings.

Rodgers's men also still had to travel to Everton, Bournemouth and both North London clubs in Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur - a tricky set of away matches on the face of it.

Jamie Vardy celebrates scoring for Leicester on March 9, 2020© Reuters

Everton had hit a good run of form under new boss Carlo Ancelotti, only to suffer a 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Chelsea in their last match before the coronavirus-enforced hiatus.

The Toffees rank seventh in terms of home form this term, while Bournemouth are 16th in that particular table, Arsenal sixth and Tottenham fifth.

In terms of their remaining away opponents, however, Leicester took 15 points from a possible 15 in the reverse fixtures.

Indeed, only champions-elect Liverpool boast a better home record than the Foxes in the Premier League this term.

Leicester City's Ricardo Pereira celebrates scoring their second goal with Youri Tielemans and Kelechi Iheanacho on January 22, 2020© Reuters

City would have been confident going into their next two home meetings, then, with Brighton & Hove Albion (15th) and Crystal Palace (11th) scheduled to the be next to arrive at the King Power Stadium.

Either side of their aforementioned trip to Tottenham, City also have a couple more top-five rivals to play at home in Sheffield United and Manchester United.

United beat Leicester 1-0 in the reverse fixture seven months ago, but goals from Harvey Barnes and Jamie Vardy earned City a 2-1 win at Bramall Lane.

Rodgers's side still have some tough fixtures to come, then, with their remaining opponents averaging a position of 11th in the table.

Given their 10-point advantage on fifth-place Wolverhampton Wanderers, though, with that position likely to be enough to seal a place in UEFA's flagship competition next season, Leicester seem almost certain to get over the line if the season does eventually resume.

Leicester's remaining Premier League fixtures

Watford (a)
Brighton & Hove Albion (h)
Everton (a)
Crystal Palace (h)
Arsenal (a)
Bournemouth (a)
Sheffield United (h)
Tottenham Hotspur (a)
Manchester United (h)

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Virgil van Dijk celebrates scoring for Liverpool on November 30, 2019
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rhs 2.0
Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool29271166214582
2Manchester CityMan City28183768313757
3Leicester CityLeicester29165858283053
4Chelsea29146951391248
5Manchester UnitedMan Utd29129844301445
6Wolverhampton WanderersWolves29101364134743
7Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd28111073025543
8Tottenham HotspurSpurs29118104740741
9Arsenal2891364036440
10Burnley29116123440-639
11Crystal Palace29109102632-639
12Everton29107123746-937
13Newcastle UnitedNewcastle2998122541-1635
14Southampton29104153552-1734
15Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton29611123240-829
16West Ham UnitedWest Ham2976163550-1527
17Watford2969142744-1727
18Bournemouth2976162947-1827
19Aston Villa2874173456-2225
20Norwich CityNorwich2956182552-2721

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