Southampton vs Leicester City
St. Mary’s Stadium, Hampshire
Friday, 25-10-2019 @10pm
Referee: Andre Marriner
Second spot on the Premier League table will be Leicester City’s main focus when they take on Southampton on Friday night.
The Foxes have been impressive since the season started and will very much be aware that a win in Hampshire will see them leep frog Man City into second for at least 12 hours as the Citizens are in action on Saturday afternoon.
Currently, Brandon Roger’s side have 17 points and sit third while City are second on 19 points with both teams having played the same number of game (9).
Leicester will be highly motivated for the clash and have no new injury problems, with James Maddison fully fit again. The midfielder was substituted as a precaution during last week’s win over Burnley following injury and illness, but he will be ready again for Friday’s game.
For Southampton, winger Moussa Djenepo is back in training after six weeks out with a hip injury but he won’t be fit in time for the visit of Leicester. Defender Cedric is still sidelined with a calf injury.
The teams met three times last season, with the away side winning both league meetings and Leicester winning on a penalty shootout in the EFL Cup. Leicester have scored six goals on their last two visits to Southampton, conceding just two.
Southampton have earned just one point from four league games. They could lose six of their opening 10 matches of a Premier League season for the first time since 2012-13. Saints have only won twice in their past 14 league games, drawing five and losing seven times. They have the worst home record in the division, managing a solitary point and failing to keep a clean sheet. However, Southampton are currently on a club Premier League record run of scoring in 18 consecutive home fixtures, Saints are the only team not to have led a match at half-time in this season’s top flight. All 25 of Danny Ings’ Premier League goals have been scored from inside the penalty area.
Leicester have won three of their past four league matches – the exception was a defeat to leaders Liverpool. They could win six of their opening 10 matches in a top-flight season for the first time since 1930. The Foxes have not kept a clean sheet in any of their last 12 league away matches. Leicester have never won a Premier League match on a Friday (D2, L5). They have won a league-high seven points from losing positions this season, including coming from behind to win their most recent game against Burnley. Since Brendan Rodgers’ first Premier League game in charge of Leicester on 3 March, Jamie Vardy has scored an unrivaled 15 Premier League goals.
