Premier League: Leicester and Everton Fight to Stay Alive

Leicester City vs Everton

Two Premier League relegation candidates are set to clash at the King Power Stadium in what could well be each side’s biggest game of the 2022-23 season so far, as Leicester City host Everton on Monday.

Following last weekend’s Premier League 2023 results, Leicester City are in 18^th place with 29 points, while Everton are right behind them in 19^th with 28 points. So, a victory for either side on Monday would put them back to safety if Nottingham Forest and Leeds United bottle their respective matches.

After failing to win a single game in February, the Foxes have notched four points in their last two games. Meanwhile, the Toffees are still in a sticky situation since their drought has extended to six consecutive games.

Talking Points

Leicester City need a Vardy party

Jamie Vardy finally scored his first goal in 20 Premier League appearances against Leeds United, which gave them a much-needed point on Wednesday to put his total up to five goals and five assists this season.

Prior to Wednesday’s game, Vardy had struggled to find his form as he had played sporadically under Brendan Rodgers since the former manager’s pragmatic tactics didn’t suit Vardy’s swashbuckling style.

It was believed that Rodgers believed Vardy had declined. But as shown against the Whites, the 36-year-old striker still has plenty to offer in the final third.

He is the team’s top earner, and his current contract expires next summer. His future with the club is uncertain, and he might be sold this summer, so Vardy will not wish to see out his possible final days in a Leicester City uniform with his team relegated from the English top-flight while rotting on the bench.

Dean Smith appears to trust Vardy more, and he has no choice since Kelechi Iheanacho limped off with a groin injury against Leeds United.

If the Foxes are going to get out of the foxhole, it’ll likely be on the back of Jamie Vardy’s hot streak at this juncture of the season.

Gray needs to pick up form for Everton

Another player who needs to regain his bearings is Demarai Gray, who didn’t get to play during Everton’s capitulation against Newcastle United yesterday.

The Toffees could’ve used a goal or two from Gray in their 4-1 loss against the Magpies. After all, he’s the team’s leading scorer this season with six goals, although he has yet to score since March.

Sean Dyche didn’t play Gray much because of his poor form. Other than his scoring drought, Gray had been careless with the ball, especially against Fulham, where he was dispossessed a whopping 15 times.

There’s a big chance that Dyche will reluctantly start him on Monday given the team’s lack of depth and quality, so he should capitalise on this opportunity to help the Toffees stay alive.

History

Leicester City defeated Everton in their reverse fixture in November with a 2-0 scoreline, as James Maddison teed up Youri Tielemans and Harvey Barnes for goals.

Should Leicester City win again on Monday, it’ll mark their first league double over Everton since the 2015-16 season, when they won the title.

But the Foxes haven’t kept a clean sheet in each of their last 18 Premier League matches, which is their joint-longest run without a clean sheet in the competition. They have also lost 20 games this season, the most they’ve had in a single season in over 20 years (2001-02, L20).

Everton have won their last two Premier League away games at King Power Stadium, and they can win three straight for the first time in their league history if they win on Monday.

However, they’re winless in their last 12 Premier League away games (D5, L7), failing to score on nine separate occasions in that stretch.

Betting Tip

The SBOTOP Premier League 2023 odds predict a win for Leicester City on Monday. The hosts are priced at 2.04 to win, while Everton are pegged at 3.35, and a draw is at 3.20 in the 1×2 market.

With the bottom half of the table so tightly packed, points are at a premium for these two sides, so they’ll be fighting tooth and nail. The Foxes seem to have found the winning formula last week, which they can carry over on Monday, and it helps that the crowd at King Power Stadium will have their backs. For an alternative bet, it’s safe to go for Total Goal 2-3 at 1.89 given the scoring trend in their most recent meetings.

 

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