Second-placed Leicester City will entertain third-placed Manchester United at the King Power Stadium on Boxing Day for what is supposed to be a top-of-the-table affair. Having lost just one of their last five games across all competitions, both the sides will head into the contest hoping to pick up a positive result and continue their title run.
Let’s look at how things are shaping up ahead of Manchester United’s trip to Leicester.
Team News
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is expected to revert the changes from the midweek triumph vs Everton in Carabao Cup and return to his customary backline consisting of Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof at the heart of United’s backline, with David De Gea operating in between the sticks.
Luke Shaw, who came off the bench on Wednesday, might get the green-light to start on Boxing Day while Aaron-Wan Bissaka remains a concern ahead of the clash. Having picked up a groin injury which forced him off the pitch in the second half against Leeds, the situation stays quite unsure in Scott McTominay’s case as well. Nemanja Matic might be handed over his second consecutive start to fill up the Scottish international’s role at the centre of the park.
Flipping over to Leicester City, Jamie Vardy is expected to lead the line for the home side on Saturday despite being taken off at Tottenham last week due to a hip issue. Long term absentee Caglar Soyuncu has reportedly returned from his groin injury, but the match might come too soon for him.
Tactical Preview And Key Men
Leicester City form (across all competitions): W-W-W-L-W
Manchester United form (across all competitions): L-D-W-W-W
In all possibilities, the decider of the clash between two fast-paced counter-attacking teams could come down to the midfield battles. In case this happens, the Foxes ought to dominate the game in terms of possession and passes – the reason behind this being quite simple, United might be left without the industrious work-rate of Scott McTominay in the middle. At the same time, Leicester will try and shut down the passing options for Bruno Fernandes with Wilfred Ndidi, Youri Tielemans, and James Maddison occupying the spaces around him. Undoubtedly, it’ll be a gruesome task for the Portuguese playmaker to pick out the runs of Anthony Martial or Marcus Rashford and set them on goal.
Added to this, Brendan Rodgers might set up his team in a way to exploit the away side’s right flank time and again as they will probably be without the services of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, yet another key figure in Ole’s defence. The Englishman’s capability of road-blocking the left-wingers throughout the ninety minutes is something the Red Devils desperately need while playing Leicester at the King Power Stadium.
Having scored 11 goals in 14 league matches, 33-year-old Jamie Vardy continues to be the target man for Rodger’s side as he will be looking for brief opportunities to capitalise on the erratic moments of defending from the United centre-backs.
Predicted Line-Ups
Leicester City possible starting XI:
Schmeichel; Fofana, Evans, Fuchs; Castagne, Ndidi, Tielemans, Justin; Barnes, Vardy, Maddison
Manchester United possible starting XI:
De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw; Matic, Fred; Greenwood, Fernandes, Rashford; Martial
Our Prediction
With both the parties believing in an almost identical counter-attacking style of play, it’s hard to separate them on paper. Nonetheless, we expect the visitors to take full advantage of their squad depth and turn the tables in the second half. Leicester City 1-2 Manchester United.
