Can Leicester City Get Back To Winning Ways?

Posted on January 13, 2016 by Sreya

Leicester City have been the surprise package of the 2015/16 English Premier League season as they found themselves in the top four of the league standings at the end of the first half of matches. Relying on the likes of Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez, Leicester City have played an exceptional level of football which has made them real contenders for the Premiership.

However, in the last few weeks, Claudio Ranieri’s side have slowed down with goals drying up. In spite of sitting on the second position in the league table, just two points behind the leaders Arsenal, the Foxes are winless in their last three English Premier League matches, taking only two points out of a possible nine against Liverpool, Manchester City and AFC Bournemouth. What has been more disturbing, is the fact that Ranieri’s side have failed to score in over 270 minutes of play.

As they travel to White Hart Lane to face Tottenham Hotspur in the midweek, Leicester City will arguably play in one of the most crucial fixtures of their season. Should they win, their chances of finishing in Champions League places will increase substantially and the Foxes can get much-needed momentum on their side.

Tottenham Hotspur, who are currently on the fourth place in the league standings with thirty six points, will be eager for a win as well. Spurs are undefeated in eighteen of their last nineteen matches in the top flight of English football and have been particularly punishing at home this season, creating goal-scoring chances at will.

These two sides played out a 2-2 draw in the FA Cup on Sunday, but the Premier League is a completely different ballgame and Mauricio Pochettino is expected to field a much improved lineup with the likes of Harry Kane, Jan Vertonghen, Erik Lamela and Hugo Lloris set to return to the fold.

Leicester City have received their own proverbial ‘shot in the arm’ with Ranieri admitting Jamie Vardy is in with a good chance to be match-fit for this fixture, having undergone a minor groin surgery earlier in the month. Jeffrey Schlupp and Matthew James will be absent though.

The Head-2-Head statistics finds these both sides with an even split in the previous six encounters, with two wins, two losses and two draws for either side. On current form, Tottenham Hotspur will start as favorites but as Leicester City have shown time and again this season, they might spring in yet another surprise.