Preview – Leicester vs Arsenal
Sunday will see two exciting Premier League fixtures go down, the first being Arsenal's highly-anticipated clash with Leicester in Matchweek 26 of the English top-flight. The Gunners will be making the trip to the King Power Stadium for their 7 a.m. fixture as Mikel Arteta's men look to build on their recent UEFA Europa League comeback victory.
When Arteta named a weakened squad in last weekend's home clash with Man City, which they lost 1-0, the manager's priorities became evident. The Spaniard was willing to rotate in the Citizens clash in order to rest players for the 2nd leg encounter with Benfica in the round of 32, which the boss labeled a final. As a result, when the north London giants found themselves 2-1 down (3-2 down on aggregate) after controlling the fixture for the most part, fans understandably began fearing the worst.
A calamitous error from Dani Ceballos handed the Eagles the lead, leaving Arsenal with the task of scoring two gols in around half-an-hour or exit the tournament. Willian, who was brought in immediately after the Gunners went behind, combined with Tierney to score a quick equalizer, with Saka and Aubameyang producing another moment of magic to net the winning goal with only three minutes left in normal time.
That performance was not perfect; it was far from it. However, it was enough to secure progression to the last 16, which was all Arsenal needed. They have booked a round of 16 rematch with Olympiakos, the Greek outfit that eliminated them from the competition last season, but must now focus on the Premier League.
The Gunners European campaign has gone fairly well so far, but the same cannot be said about their domestic season. With only one win in their last five EPL outings, Aubameyang and Co. once again find themselves outside the top 10, let alone the top six, as they sit in 11th with 34 points.
Leeds, who are in 10th, are only a point ahead while bitter city rivals Tottenham, who are in ninth, boast a mere two-point advantage. Sixth-placed Liverpool are only six points ahead, meaning qualification for Europe through the Premier League is not yet out of the question for Arteta's men. However, if they wish to achieve this, they must first string together a reliable winning streak.
Unfortunately, the side they will be facing on Sunday are one of England's best teams. Leicester under Brendan Rodgers have been remarkable in 2020/21, picking up 49 points in 25 games, on par with second-placed Man United. The Foxes have beaten the likes of Man City, Liverpool, Chelsea, and Tottenham this season. In fact, the last time Vardy and Co. locked horns with the Gunners, they emerged triumphant via a 1-0 win. However, the home side enter this clash on the back of a gut-wrenching defeat, having lost 2-0 to Slavia Praha to crash out of the Europa League. Will they suffer another loss or complete the double over Arsenal? Tune in to find out.
Team news
Leicester: Rodgers' injury crisis deepened as James Maddison joined James Justin, Ayoze Perez, Wesley Fofane, Dennis Praet, and Wes Morgan on the sidelines. Harvey Barnes, Ricardo Pereira, and Timothy Castagne should make their returns for this weekend game.
Arsenal: Rob Holding should be available for selection but it remains uncertain whether he will start. Thomas Partey came off the bench in the win over Benfica and is likely to get an hour. It remains uncertain whether Arsenal starlet Bukayo Saka will be given a rest as the likes of Willian, Pepe, and Martinelli are all vying for minutes.
Key stats
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Arsenal have managed only one win in their last six Premier League encounters with Leicester (D1, L4).
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The Gunners have lost their last three English top-flight trips to the King Power Stadium.
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In those three defeats, the Gunners picked up more red cards (2) than goals scored (1).
Broadcast listings
Match details, result and original broadcast info
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Live TV coverage and streaming in United States
Live TV coverage and streaming in United States
