Assessing Leicester City's next six Premier League fixtures

Brendan Rodgers's side have now moved three points clear of the relegation zone, but with a tough run of fixtures coming up, they are far from being out of the woods just yet.

In their next six Premier League games, the Foxes will only face one team outside of the top half of the table, and they will go up against three sides who currently occupy a place in the top five.

Here, Sports Mole analyses Leicester's next six fixtures in the Premier League, which could have repercussions in their battle to remain in the topflight.

Tottenham Hotspur (Home) - February 11

Leicester's tricky run of fixtures begins with a home game against Tottenham on Saturday, and their opponents will be boosted by the return of Antonio Conte to the dugout.

The Italian was not in attendance for Tottenham's meeting with Manchester City last weekend after he underwent surgery to have his gallbladder removed.

In his absence, Spurs recorded a crucial 1-0 victory over the Premier League champions, thanks to a first half strike from Harry Kane, who in the process became the North London Club's record goalscorer.

Kane was also on the scoresheet in September when a Heung-min Son hat-trick helped Spurs ease to a comfortable 6-2 victory over the Foxes.

Having lost their last four head-to-head games against Tottenham - conceding 16 goals across those four defeats - Leicester know that they have their work cut out to claim a positive result.

Manchester United (Away) - February 19

Leicester will then head on their travels for an away fixture against a Manchester United side who are currently unbeaten in five competitive games.

The Red Devils dropped points on Wednesday after being forced to come from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Leeds United at Old Trafford.

Despite having to settle for a point, the Red Devils have proven to be a formidable force on home turf this season, winning eight of their 11 league matches at the Theatre of Dreams.

Man United may have the second-best home record in the topflight, but Leicester have picked up four points in their last two league games at Old Trafford, drawing 1-1 last season and claiming a 2-1 victory in the 2020-21 campaign.

Leicester may be able to take advantage of a Man United side who could be distracted by the two legs of their Europa League tie with Barcelona, which will take place either side of their Premier League meeting with the Foxes.

Arsenal (Home) - February 25

For a second straight home game, Leicester will face a team from North London, but this time they will place host to the current Premier League leaders.

The state of play at the top of the table may well have changed by the time Arsenal face Leicester at the end of the month.

The Gunners will play three Premier League fixtures before they visit the King Power Stadium, including a crucial home game against title rivals Manchester City next week.

Whatever happens in those three matches, Arsenal will want to secure nothing less than three points against Leicester, especially having won their last four head-to-head meetings.

After conceding at least two goals in each of those four defeats, the Foxes will hope the recent arrivals of Harry Souttar and Victor Kristiansen can help them offer a better defensive performance.

Southampton (Away) - March 4

After playing Championship outfit Blackburn Rovers in the fifth round of the FA Cup on February 28, Leicester will prepare for a trip to the St Marys Stadium.

On paper, an away game against the side currently bottom of the Premier League table presents Leicester with a golden opportunity to claim all three points.

However, with Southampton boss Nathan Jones under pressure to instigate an upturn in fortunes on the South Coast, the Saints could well have a new manager at the helm by the time they face Leicester.

While the Foxes have lost one of their last six competitive meetings against Southampton, their only defeat in that period took place in the reverse fixture earlier this season, as Leicester gave up a slender lead to lose 2-1 to the Saints in August.

Impressively, the Foxes are unbeaten in their last five games at St Mary's, although they had to settle for a draw in their last two away meetings, and a point on March 4 would represent an underwhelming result.

Chelsea (Home) - March 11

Chelsea may have underperformed this season, but with over a month to go until they go up against Leicester, their new arrivals will have time to adjust to their new surroundings.

The Blues recruited eight players last month, and while Malo Gusto has gone back to Lyon on loan, their seven remaining January additions could all be involved on March 11.

Depending on his recovery from a hamstring injury, former Leicester midfield N'Golo Kante may also be back in action by the time Chelsea make the trip to the King Power Stadium.

Chelsea will go into the game off the back of the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie against Borussia Dortmund, and progression to the quarter-finals would ensure they head to the King Power Stadium in a confident mood, while a European exit would be a significant setback for the West London side.

Whatever the result of Chelsea's Champions League tie, Leicester will be looking to end a four-game winless run in head-to-head meetings with the Blues.

Brentford (Away) - March 18

Leicester's next six Premier League games conclude with an away game against a Brentford side who are currently dreaming of a place in European competition next term.

Having collected 33 points from their 21 league games, the Bees occupy seventh place and they are currently unbeaten in nine league matches.

The Foxes picked up a point from the reverse fixture when the two sides met at the start of the season, but they ultimately let a win slip through their fingers as they gave up a two-goal lead.

Timothy Castagne and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall both grabbed a goal apiece before Ivan Toney pulled a goal back after the hour mark, and Jay Dasilva completed the Brentford fightback, equalising four minutes from time.

Prior to the 2-2 draw, Leicester had recorded four consecutive victories against Brentford, and that encouraging record will give them confidence ahead of their meeting next month.