Leicester City v Newcastle United – Premier League 2020/21 preview

Newcastle United could confirm survival for a place in the 2021-22 Premier League season with a win away to Leicester City on Friday night.

Granted, it looks unlikely that they will take three points from the team currently sitting in third and looking to close in on a top-four finish prior to next weekend’s FA Cup final.

Eight points from our four fixtures in April have almost pulled Newcastle to safety, now nine points ahead of Fulham and 10 ahead of West Bromwich Albion, who both sit in the final two relegation spots with only four games to go.

The trip to the King Power Stadium this weekend isn’t crucial, particularly as Newcastle still have to face Sheffield United and Fulham.

Team News

Leicester City are missing a couple of their regulars but remain 1/2 favourites to pick up all three points among the Justuk.club non gamstop betting sites.

Playmaker Harvey Barnes and full-back James Justin are both long-term absentees for Brendan Rodgers’ side with knee injuries.

Wes Morgan is also out for the hosts but won’t considered much of a miss.

The Foxes haven’t played for a week so unless they pick up any knocks in training between now and then I would expect their side to be fresh.

Fabian Schar’s dismissal versus Arsenal last weekend means the Switzerland international misses this game through suspension

He was a substitute in that game so Federico Fernandez, Ciaran Clark and Paul Dummett should remain as the back three.

That’s because centre-back Jamaal Lascelles is still injured, so are goalkeeper Karl Darlow, midfielder Issac Hayden and winger Ryan Fraser.

Predicted Line-ups

Newcastle (3-5-2): Martin Dubravka; Federico Fernandez, Ciaran Clark, Paul Dummett; Jacob Murphy, Sean Longstaff, Jonjo Shelvey, Miguel Almiron, Matt Ritchie; Callum Wilson, Allan Saint-Maximin

Leicester (3-5-2): Kasper Schmeichel; Wesley Fofana, Jonny Evans, Caglar Soyuncu; Ricardo Pereira, Wilfried Ndidi, Youri Tielemans, Timothy Castagne; James Maddison; Kelechi Iheanacho, Jamie Vardy

Steve Bruce will try and play it tight at the back but without a clean sheet in our last seven makes you wonder how Newcastle are going to get anything from this trip to the East Midlands.

Kelechi Iheanacho is in the form of his career, giving Leicester a double threat in attack with perennial goalscorer Jamie Vardy.

They will be supported by James Maddison and Youri Tielemans from the centre of the park, and Ricardo Pereira and Timothy Castagne bombing on from full-back.

Prediction

Leicester have a five-point lead over West Ham United in fifth and with only four games to go.

They’ll be wanting three points from this so they consider resting players versus Manchester United on Tuesday night, as the FA Cup final versus Chelsea is next weekend.

It’s less busy on the Newcastle United news front (despite that Gattuso story) – they’re nine points clear of the drop zone and even though they face Manchester City next weekend they’re in no danger right now. Everything does point to a home win in this one though.

Prediction: Leicester 3-0 Newcastle