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Premier League leaders Chelsea will look to return to winning ways when they travel to Leicester City on Saturday afternoon.
The Blues were held to a 1-1 draw by Burnley before the international break and will be desperate to put the disappointment in the rearview mirror. Leicester City were also subjected to a stalemate by Leeds United and need to put on a more spirited show this weekend.
Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea are currently at the top of the Premier League table with 26 points. They are only three points ahead of reigning champions Manchester City and cannot afford to rest on their laurels.
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The Foxes, on the other hand, are without a win in their last four fixtures across all competitions and cannot afford another setback.
With the stakes so high, sparks are guaranteed to fly when Leicester City host Chelsea tomorrow.
Here are our top five predictions for the Premier League opener on Saturday:
#5 Leicester City to play conservatively against the leaders
Leicester City were quite the dominant force in the Premier League last season. They finished a point behind fourth-placed Chelsea, missing out on Champions League football only by a whisker.
But Brendan Rodgers’ team has looked unconvincing on all fronts this season, especially defensively.
Against a Chelsea side that breach defenses for fun, Leicester City could take a more conservative approach. They are likely to surrender possession in exchange for defensive solidity.
Thanks to Jamie Vardy, Leicester City always have the option of playing long balls from the back or hitting Chelsea on the break.
Don't be surprised if the Foxes let Chelsea have the ball and only charge forward when an opening appears.
#4 Chelsea to win the midfield battle
Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel has used his full-backs Reece James and Ben Chilwell expertly to add width to Chelsea’s midfield. The two Englishmen are lightning quick and can contribute handsomely in attack and defense.
Expect the two to be the first names on the team sheet against Leicester City on Saturday.
N’Golo Kante and Jorginho are set to sit in the middle of the park. They have not exactly been at their best lately but are still two of the most dependable midfielders around.
Expect them to take the fight to Boubakary Soumare and Wilfred Ndidi and come out unscathed.
#3 Jamie Vardy to endure a frustrating afternoon against Chelsea
Leicester City forward Jamie Vardy is one of the most devoted players in the Premier League. The 34-year-old was one of the heroes of Leicester City’s fairytale Premier League-winning campaign in 2015-16 and is still going strong.
As expected, the Englishman started the 2021-22 Premier League campaign with vigor, scoring seven goals in the opening eight matches. Vardy played a starring role in Leicester City’s 4-2 win over Manchester United, scoring an impressive volley.
Unfortunately, since the game against Manchester United, Vardy has had trouble finding his shooting boots. He has fired blanks in his last three Premier League matches and we fear the mini drought could extend against Chelsea.
Having conceded only four goals in 10 Premier League games, Chelsea currently have the best defensive record in the English top-flight.
Unless they collectively have a sub-par outing, an out-of-form Vardy might not pose too big of a threat to the Chelsea back-line.
#2 Romelu Lukaku to get some minutes against Leicester City
Chelsea pulled out all the stops to bring Romelu Lukaku back to Stamford Bridge in the summer. The €115m acquisition was meant to make Chelsea an attacking powerhouse in England and Europe.
Unfortunately, the Belgium international has not only been failing on both fronts, but he has also had an injury to deal with.
Lukaku, who has scored only four goals in 11 games across all competitions, has not played since picking up an injury against Malmo. However, if the pictures of him training are any indication, he could return against Leicester City on Saturday.
The Belgian is unlikely to start but he should get a few minutes at the King Power ahead of the midweek Champions League clash against Juventus.
#1 Chelsea to nick a win against Leicester City
Both Chelsea and Leicester City have many fine players in their respective squads. However, given the form the two teams are in, we cannot help but rule in Chelsea’s favor.
Chelsea have benefitted from an easier run of fixtures leading up to the clash against Leicester and were a bit shaky in recent fixtures. However, sub-par performances against Burnley and Malmo should not take anything away from the quality they possess.
At home, Leicester City will look to get a respectable result against the Champions League holders to avoid defeat at any cost.
Their resilience could complicate things for Chelsea, but we are still backing the Blues to nick a narrow win in the Premier League this Saturday.
