Leicestervs.Man Utd

The two sides have already met three times this season, with United coming out on top on all three occasions.

Match preview

The visitors have endured a miserable league campaign and are currently 14th in the standings, with only 10 games remaining.

After being knocked out of the FA Cup by Fulham at the start of the month, Ruben Amorim's side bounced back with back-to-back draws against difficult opponents in Real Sociedad and Arsenal.

United kept their Europa League hopes alive with a 4-1 win in the return leg against Sociedad on Thursday evening, to set up a mouthwatering tie with Lyon in the quarter-finals of the competition.

Should they be successful in winning the Europa League, they will automatically qualify for the Champions League next season, regardless of where they finish in the Premier League.

In the league, the club have only a slim hope of qualifying for any European competition next season, so they will view success in the Europa League as their most likely route into Europe next season.

However, with 10 games remaining in the league season, they will still want to finish their Premier League campaign on a high so that they can take some momentum with them into next season.

After finishing eighth last year, United salvaged a miserable campaign by lifting the FA Cup against Manchester City last May, a result that arguably kept Erik ten Hag in his job for a little bit longer.

The Dutchman was sacked after a disappointing start to the 2024-25 campaign, with United winning just three of their first nine matches in the league, leaving the club in 14th place in the standings.

The Red Devils remain in the same position that ten Hag left them in back in October, so progress under his permanent replacement Amorim, has been slower than some would have hoped, but the 40-year-old could still rescue the season with European silverware.

United have found it difficult on their travels this year, and only four teams in the league have performed worse away from home than United, who have won three and drawn five of their 13 away league fixtures this campaign.

One of those teams is Leicester City, who have had a torrid time back in the top division following their promotion from the Championship last season.

Enzo Maresca left the club last summer to move to Chelsea, and his replacement Steve Cooper was sacked in November after just 12 league games.

At the time of Cooper's dismissal, the Foxes were 16th in the standings and two points above the relegation zone, but in the months since, they have slipped to 19th, and they are now six points adrift of safety.

Cooper was replaced by United legend van Nistelrooy in the dugout at the King Power Stadium, after the Dutchman impressed in a four-game interim spell in charge at Old Trafford.

Two of the four games that the Dutchman was in charge for at United were against the Foxes, with the Red Devils winning 5-2 in the League Cup tie at Old Trafford in October, before he signed off with a 3-0 triumph against the same club in November.

Van Nistelrooy won three of the four matches during his temporary spell in charge at Old Trafford, and his audition was impressive enough to earn him a permanent role at Leicester.

After winning his first match in charge of the Foxes against West Ham United, van Nistelrooy has only managed to guide the club to two more victories in the months since, with a 2-1 win at Tottenham Hotspur the only other league victory in that time.

Indeed, Leicester have lost 13 of their 17 matches under the former United striker, and their 1-0 defeat to Chelsea last weekend was their sixth defeat in a row in all competitions.

The Foxes have won just twice at home all season, and unless they can somehow find some form from somewhere, a return to the Championship is looking likely.

Their poor defensive record is a major contributor to their problems, as they have shipped 62 goals so far, with only rock-bottom Southampton conceding more times than Leicester, having let in 68 goals in the league this season.

They have not been much better in front of goal, scoring just 25 times in 28 matches, a record that is again only better than Southampton's miserable record of 20 goals all season.

Scoring goals at home has been a particular problem for Leicester this season, and if they fail to score this weekend, then it will be the seventh consecutive home league fixture that they have not managed to find the net in.

With United having little hope of European qualification via the league, and van Nistelrooy having worked closely with their players, this may be a match that Leicester will believe they can get something from.

Despite already losing three times against them this season, their most recent meeting was far closer in the match that van Nistelrooy was in charge of Leicester for.

The two sides met in the fourth round of the FA Cup last month, and the Foxes took the lead through Bobby De Cordova-Reid before Joshua Zirkzee and former Leicester defender Harry Maguire turned the tie in United's favour to send the Red Devils into the fifth round.

Leicester City Premier League form:

W

L

L

L

L

L

Leicester City form (all competitions):

L

L

L

L

L

L

Manchester United Premier League form:

W

L

L

D

W

D

Manchester United form (all competitions):

D

W

L

D

D

W

Team News

The hosts have a couple of injury concerns, with Abdul Fatawu ruled out of this fixture due to an ACL injury, as well as Harry Souttar (Achilles).

Elsewhere, Odsonne Edouard (undisclosed) is the only other potential injury worry ahead of this fixture.

In better news for the hosts, Ricardo Pereira returned to action from the bench last weekend following a four-month absence due to injury, and he is in contention to make the squad again this weekend.

Meanwhile, United have several injury worries, with Lenny Yoro (foot), Luke Shaw (calf), Lisandro Martinez (knee), Amad Diallo (ankle) and Kobbie Mainoo (calf) all out for this clash.

The visitors could have former Leicester man Maguire, as well as Manuel Ugarte back from injuries, but Altay Bayindir (undisclosed), Tom Heaton (undisclosed) and Jonny Evans (back) are all doubts for this clash.

In a further blow for Amorim's side, January signing Patrick Dorgu is suspended for this match following his red card against Ipswich Town last month.

United will have Mason Mount available for selection again following a lengthy absence, but he is more likely to make an appearance from the bench, given he has not played football in three months.

Leicester City possible starting lineup:

Hermansen; Justin, Thomas, Coady, Faes, Coulibaly; Ndidi, Soumare, El Khannouss, Buonanotte; Vardy

Manchester United possible starting lineup:

Onana; Dalot, Maguire, Lindelof, de Ligt, Mazraoui; Casemiro, Fernandes, Garnacho, Eriksen; Zirkzee

We say: Leicester City 0-2 Manchester United

Leicester have struggled in front of goal all season, particularly in front of their own fans, and we expect that to continue this weekend.

Written by

Tom Humphrey

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