Preview: Leicester City vs. Aston Villa - prediction, team news, lineups

The Foxes suffered a 5-2 drubbing at the hands of Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend, while Steven Gerrard's side were aggrieved to only take one point away from their clash with Manchester City, which ended 1-1.

Match preview

Speculation surrounding Brendan Rodgers's future is hotting up with each and every defeat that Leicester suffer, and the Foxes boss laid witness to his side being humiliated by Brighton & Hove Albion in a 5-2 thumping at the Amex Stadium last weekend.

Leicester got off to a dream start down south following Kelechi Iheanacho's first-minute opener, and they also had the ball in the back of the net through Patson Daka in a four-goal first half, but two-goal hero Alexis Mac Allister led a second-half revolution for Brighton.

The Argentine playmaker was then denied a goal-of-the-season worthy effort through one of the many questionable VAR calls of gameweek six, but that mattered little to Leicester, who were outfought in almost every department again.

Foxes chiefs can only look back and rue what could have been in the transfer market as Leicester occupy last place in the Premier League table, taking just one point from 18 on offer so far and losing each of their last five, and Tottenham Hotspur also lie in wait before the international break.

The clock is surely ticking on Rodgers's time in charge if Leicester's downward spiral continues in the coming weeks, and not since the 1983-84 season have the Foxes been without a win seven games into the new season, but inspiration is hard to find at the King Power right now.

While VAR controversy reared its ugly head at the Amex, Villa boss Steven Gerrard was also left fuming at an officiating decision not going his way during the visit of champions Man City, and with good reason too.

A sumptuous effort from Leon Bailey helped Villa claw their way back into the contest after Erling Braut Haaland's 10th goal of the season had given Man City the lead, but Philippe Coutinho was then denied a stunning winner for offside - replays showed the Brazilian was in fact onside.

Feeling disappointed at only gleaning a point from a clash with the reigning champions demonstrates just how determined Gerrard and co were to give the Villa faithful something to cheer, especially with their side languishing in 17th place after an otherwise abysmal start.

That abysmal start has also seen the Lions fail to take a single point home from any of their three away matches this term - only hosts Leicester also have a zero next to their name in that column - and the visitors have also gone 11 Premier League games without a clean sheet.

Villa managed to amass four points from their two meetings with Leicester last term - winning 2-1 at home before a 0-0 draw at the King Power - and the hosts have failed to score in each of their last two home games versus the Lions.

Leicester City Premier League form:

Leicester City form (all competitions):

Aston Villa Premier League form:

Aston Villa form (all competitions):

Team News

Only full-backs Ryan Bertrand and Ricardo Pereira should be absent for Leicester for Saturday's game, with the former still waiting for a knee operation while Pereira recovers from a ruptured Achilles.

Options for change are therefore abundant in Rodgers's ranks, and the Foxes boss may consider reverting to a back three for the weekend, especially with Daniel Amartey fit enough to come off the bench at the Amex.

Jamie Vardy is fighting an uphill battle to regain his place in the side after Daka and Iheanacho both netted in the loss to Brighton, but Harvey Barnes was hooked at half time in that game and finds his spot under threat from Timothy Castagne, despite his record of four goals from four league starts against Villa.

Meanwhile, Aston Villa were dealt yet another defensive blow when Matty Cash was withdrawn against Man City after picking up a hamstring injury, but Ashley Young is ready and waiting after a strong substitute outing last weekend.

Diego Carlos remains sidelined for the long-term, and fellow new signing Leander Dendoncker may be forced to wait a little bit longer to make his debut for the club as he battles tonsillitis.

Coutinho has put his name in the hat for a starting berth, but Gerrard may see no reason to alter the formula from last weekend, barring the probable inclusion of Young over the afflicted Cash.

Leicester City possible starting lineup:

Ward; Amartey, Ndidi, Evans; Justin, Tielemans, Soumare; Castagne; Maddison; Daka, Iheanacho

Aston Villa possible starting lineup:

Martinez; Young, Konsa, Mings, Digne; McGinn, Kamara, Luiz; Bailey, Watkins, Ramsey

We say: Leicester City 1-2 Aston Villa

Neither of these teams are anywhere close to where they desire to be in the table, but morale in the camps will be at very contrasting levels following their respective results last weekend, and Villa are primed to expose Leicester's frailties at the back.

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