Premier League: Foxes Can Expect a Chelsea Backlash

Chelsea vs Leicester City

Chelsea hope to get their Premier League campaign back on track when Leicester City are visitors to Stamford Bridge on Saturday and the Foxes too need a pick-up.

Thomas Tuchel’s Blues come into the game on the back of a defeat to Leeds while Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester had a disappointing reversal at home to Southampton, and they also have some ground to make up.

Both teams began the season with high expectations of Champions League and Europa qualification but, at this early stage, they languish in the bottom half of the table.

A win for either would make it a decent, if not spectacular start, but I expect the hosts to take out their frustration on the Foxes.

Talking Points

Chelsea still searching for a striker

With only four points from three games, Chelsea are already badly off the pace and some five points behind leaders Arsenal.

The Blues have become known as the biggest threat to Manchester City and Liverpool dominance in recent seasons, but a quick look at the latest Premier League 2022 betting odds show that Tuchel’s team now ranked behind Arsenal and Spurs in the title race.

Losing 3-0 to Leeds United was a big wake-up call. After impressing in his opening two games for Chelsea, Kalidou Koulibaly had a nightmare in his third, receiving a red card late in the game while another new signing Marc Cucurella is still bedding in at the Bridge.

The move to Chelsea from Manchester City of England forward Raheem Sterling was big Premier League 2022 news and he has been one of the Blues’ most dangerous players in the opening fixtures. But following the departures of Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner, Tuchel is looking for a proven goal scorer to lead the line.

The Chelsea boss is reported to be in advanced talks to bring Barcelona’s Pierre Emerick- Aubameyang back to the Premier League. The former Arsenal skipper is one of the players the Blaugrana will consider selling to help them register new players and Tuchel is a big admirer of the Gabon striker.

Aubameyang scored 79 goals in two seasons for him at Borussia Dortmund and the 33-year-old would be happy to work with Tuchel again.

Another rumour has surfaced that Chelsea may be preparing an approach for AC Milan star Rafael Leao, while Everton winger Antony Gordon has also been linked with a move to West London. But I believe the Aubameyang link may come to fruition sooner rather than later.

Big year for Maddison

An opening day draw with Brentford and then defeats to Arsenal and Southampton have left Leicester City at the wrong end of the Premier League table with only a pointless West Ham United below them.

Without an outfield signing made throughout the whole of the transfer window, head coach Brendan Rodgers may be prepared to go with what he has.

With two strikes from attacking midfielder James Maddison, the pressure will be lifted from leading striker Jamie Vardy if the goals keep on coming from midfield. Maddison put the Foxes ahead against Southampton with a well-taken free-kick before Leicester capitulated late in the game.

Rodgers’ left centre-back Wesley Fofana out of the line-up as he believed his defender wasn’t in the right frame of mind following speculation of a transfer to Chelsea.

Fofana is a big player for the Foxes and so is Maddison. The England star burst onto the scene four years ago, but he has suffered from inconsistency and some off field issues.

But a maturing Maddison is just what Rodgers needs and he has put his most creative player back into the attacking midfield position, having used him on the wing last season.

That means, with Harvey Barnes and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall also commanding advanced positions, Youri Tielemens will have to fight for his place.

The Foxes had a decent pre-season, beating Preston, Derby, and Sevilla in the three games immediately before the league began. And Rodgers might well be satisfied with the squad he has, but he can’t afford injuries or players who are not up for the fight.

History

Chelsea have had the better of the head-to-heads, winning 21 of the 38 meetings between these two teams in the Premier League era, while the Foxes have managed seven wins and a draw.

Last season this fixture was a 1-1 draw, while Chelsea won the return match at the King Power Stadium 3-0.

Betting Tip

This is another game Chelsea should really win and, at SBOTOP odds of 1.34, the hosts are hot favourites.

But few neutrals would have expected the Blues to take a thumping from Leeds United and Leicester at 8.44 or the draw at 4.45 can’t be discounted.

I think Tuchel will have his men ready for this clash and he won’t accept another failure.

 

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