Leicester City - Arsenal: Preview, Team news, Form guide, score and lineup Predictions

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Arsenal face Leicester City in an early kickoff on Saturday afternoon as they return to the Premier League after a successful mid-week, where they booked a place in the quarter finals of the Carabao Cup.

Emile Smith Rowe celebrates Arsenal's third goal against Aston Villa in the Premier League. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

The Gunners are currently on a run of eight games unbeaten and the trip to the King Power Stadium could be the biggest test in their run. Mikel Arteta will know there is no time to slow down for a team that lost their first three games of the season.

Leicester City also booked their place in the quarter finals of the Carabao Cup thanks to shootout win over Brighton & Hove Albion. They will welcome Arsenal on the back of five games unbeaten in all competitions and much confidence given the form of the players recently.

The bad news for them is the players on the sideline but they have so far been able to manage the situation. However, some like James Justin has returned from an injury which kept him out of action since last season.

Leicester are also aware that Arsenal will be without Granit Xhaka, whom they have struggled to find a competent replacement for in the team. Martin Ødegaard and Kieran Tierney are also doubts for the trip to the King Power.

Arsenal won two of the three times the sides met last season, a 3-1 win in the league away to Leicester and another 2-0 win in the Carabao Cup at the same Stadium, while Leicester won in the Premier League at the Emirates.

Things look well balanced on the league table between the two, with Leicester City staying a place above the visitors on goal difference and maximum points will be the target of both teams, which will temporarily take either of them to fifth, level on points with West Ham United.

Verdict: Arsenal, when everyone is available is not a pushover, but Leicester City’s strength in Midfield will be asset against an Arsenal side missing Granit Xhaka. Mikel Arteta will hope Sambi Lokonga steps up in the game along with Partey, to stop the likes of Youri Tielemans from getting much room to operate.

Arsenal will be slight favourite and hopefully their top performers will turnup and help them make it nine games unbeaten, but with a win and not a draw.

Predicted line-ups

Leicester City: Schmeichel, Pereira, Soyuncu, Amartey, Evans, Castagne, Soumare, Tielemans, Maddison, Vardy, Iheanacho.

Arsenal: Ramsdale, Tierney, Gabriel, White, Tomiyasu, Partey, Sambi Lokonga, Smith Rowe, Saka, Aubameyang, Lacazette.


Afolabi Kehinde Hassan

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