Premier League: High-Flyers Aim Even Higher

Leicester City vs Southampton

A meeting of two Premier League high-flyers who continue to surprise many of the established big hitters alongside them.

It’s fourth versus seventh at the King Power Stadium, two sides with just three points between them, two sides who like to attack.

Leicester City versus Southampton, the Foxes against the Saints and Saturday night Premier League highlights surely await.

Talking Points

Both teams go into this on form.

Southampton are on a four-game unbeaten run and fresh from a brilliant win over the reigning champions.

Leicester have gone three matches without defeat and are once again in a Champions League spot and making life difficult for many of the sides around them – granted the campaign has not even reached the halfway stage yet.

The team news certainly favours the hosts.

Midfielder James Maddison is likely to feature despite a knee problem, while England striker Jamie Vardy is hoping to overcome a persistent groin issue to start.

Vardy has scored 35 per cent of Leicester City’s goals this season and, unsurprisingly, they tend to win the games he scores in.

They are likely to replace Dennis Praet and Ayoze Perez who were given the nod and impressed in last Saturday’s comprehensive 4-0 FA Cup win over Stoke.

The luckless Praet will be out for around three months after picking up a hamstring injury in that win, pulling up in the closing stages.

Elsewhere, Cengiz Under – on a season-long loan from Roma (one which has been disrupted by injury so far) – could be about to make a comeback following an ankle injury, although at best will be a substitute.

While Maddison and Vardy are considered, arguably, the home side’s two main players, Southampton have found out they will be missing two of their own.

The visitors will again likely be without defender Jannik Vestergaard (knee). while their matchwinner against Liverpool, Danny Ings, is not expected to play after boss Ralph Hasenhuttl revealed the in-form frontman had tested positive for Covid-19 last week.

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While the 28-year-old England international is set to return to training on Friday, it will be a big risk to play him after a week in isolation.

Furthermore, Southampton will probably be further weakened by the absence of Nathan Redmond, Moussa Djenepo and Mohamed Salisu.

There are also question marks over the fitness of Oriol Romeu and Che Adams (concussion).

On a brighter note, another man who has impressed this season, goalkeeper Alex McCarthy, is on his way back after missing the Liverpool victory when he also tested positive for Covid.

On saying that, replacement Fraser Forster will feel like he did enough to hold onto his place.

Positive coronavirus tests within the Shrewsbury Town ranks actually gave Southampton a much-needed breather last weekend and, refreshed, they will know victory in the East Midlands could take them into the top four if other results go their way.

Their record on their travels is impressive: unbeaten in their last six matches on the road with 13 points from 24 on their travels. Their last two matches away from St. Mary’s ended in draws with Arsenal and Fulham.

Another point would be a good result but could this be the game when injuries and illness take their toll on the south coast club?

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Premier League

History

It was in an FA Cup tie in 1898 when these two first locked horns.

Overall, the Foxes have won 29 of their meetings and the Saints have enjoyed victory 34 times. Another 28 clashes have ended level.

It was in the mid-1960s that they first met in the top flight.

Last season this match resulted in Southampton revenge as they won 2-1 at the King Power Stadium, almost a year to the day when Stuart Armstrong and Danny Ings netted after Dennis Praet opened the scoring for the home side.

That came less than three months after the joint highest- Premier League result ever as Leicester rattled in nine goals on the south coast without reply. Southampton’s cause wasn’t helped by playing the majority of the match with 10 men.