LEICESTER CITY VS SOUTHAMPTON
14:15 PM WAT
02/10/2016
14:15 PM WAT
02/10/2016
Leicester City will be confident of continuing their strong home record against Southampton, especially after the tremendous albeit nervy win over Porto in the Champions League in midweek.
The Foxes have looked brittle at the back on the road thus far this season, but have been excellent at home. They haven't lost a Premier League match since the 5-2 humbling by Arsenal in September 2015.
If the Foxes are to contend for a top-half finish or better, they must beat sides like Southampton at home. However, the visitors are capable of goals so it may be a case of which Leicester defence shows up: the one who beat Porto and kept yet another clean sheet at the King Power Stadium or the back four who conceded four first-half goals against Manchester United last weekend.
Claudio Ranieri has a couple of welcome selection dilemmas. The Leicester boss must decide whether to keep faith with right-back Luis Hernandez or restore "Mr Consistent" Danny Simpson to the starting XI. The Italian could also drop Marc Albrighton in favour of Demarai Gray -- a move he made on opening day as Leicester lost 2-1 at Hull City.
It's unlikely Ranieri will alter his strikers, even though Islam Slimani has looked more comfortable in Europe than the Premier League. Slimani, Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez are quickly developing an understanding and if they click into gear, Leicester are going to be very difficult to beat at home.
This time last year a draw against Saints would have been a welcome point, but now Leicester expect maximum points from this type of game whether they are title contenders or not. City took four points off Claude Puel's side (then under Ronald Koeman) last campaign and have the perhaps significant advantage of two extra days rest since Saints drew 0-0 with Hapoel Be'er Sheva in Israel on Thursday.
The fact Saints assistant manager Eric Black was also videoed giving undercover reporters advice on how to bribe officials at other clubs won't help the visitors preparations.
Leicester will have watched Saints' easy 3-0 win at West Ham, though, and will be wary of the threat that Dusan Tadic and James Ward-Prowse pose.
Both sides play relatively simple yet effective football, so the pattern of the game is pretty easy to predict. It promises to be a fast and physical encounter and if the Foxes continue their clinical run in front of goal at home they will claim a morale-boosting three points and round off another superb week.
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