Leicester City have dipped since December when they were tipped as potential Premier League champions. Brendan Rodgers’ team and individual players are out of form and the manager desperately needs to win at home versus Aston Villa on Monday night.
The Foxes once commanding lead in third place has dwindled to just eight points. With Manchester United, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Sheffield United charging hard toward the Champions League places, Leicester City have to win against the Villains.
Aston Villa occupy 19th-place in the division heading into the weekend. Dean Smith’s team are also out of form and struggling. Two points separate Aston Villa from relegation safety. A loss to their Midlands rival and the possibility of escape from the relegation zone becomes even more difficult.
Smith has watched his team lose three straight league games. That losing run was added to last Sunday in the Carabao Cup final, which Aston Villa lost 2-1 to Manchester City.
The two clubs have played three times already this season. Leicester City won at Villa Park in the league 4-1. Aston Villa turned it on in the League Cup claiming a draw and win in the semifinals of the tournament to advance to the final.
If Leicester City fail to hold onto a top-four place, their once great season will be for not. They collapsed in the Carabao Cup semifinals and have felt the pressure of trying to keep a top four place. It hasn’t helped that Leicester City’s two biggest stars James Maddison and Jamie Vardy are out of form.
The Foxes have not scored in the last 270 minutes of Premier League football. They drew with Wolverhampton Wanderers before losing to Manchester City and Norwich City.
The good news for Rodgers is Vardy is fit to play this weekend. He will most likely start and lead the Leicester City attack. Nampalys Mendy and Daniel Amartey are both ruled out for Leicester City.
Smith has four players ruled out for the game and all are long-term. Wesley, Thomas Heaton, John McGinn, and Jed Steer will all miss the fixture.
Jack Grealish suffered from cramp during the final minutes of the Carabao Cup final. He will return to the team for the fixture this weekend.
Aston Villa are coming off of a heartbreaking cup final loss. They are second from bottom in the table and look like the worst team in the league right now. Leicester City must win to keep hold of third place and playing at home will enable them to get back to winning ways.
The Villains have conceded the most goals in the league (52), so expected Leicester City to take advantage of their defence. Leicester City should win and dent Aston Villa’s hopes of survival.
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