New Delhi: It is the final game of the first match week of the Premier League 2024-25 as Leicester City host Tottenham Spurs at King Power Stadium on Monday, 19th August. Spurs will aim to finish in the top four, having come very close last season. Leicester arrived in the competition, having won the Championship, but now have a new manager at the helm.
Ange Postecoglou took charge of Tottenham last season and started his spell quite promisingly. Before Postecoglou, no coach had ever secured more than 25 points in their first ten Premier League games. After the former Celtic coach hit the 26-mark with the club, the rhythm was broken as injuries started taking a toll on Tottenham, finishing the campaign fifth. Postecoglou has said that their aim wasn’t just to finish in the top four but to show improvement from the previous few seasons.
Tottenham have been impressive for most of the pre-season friendlies, with convincing wins over Hearts, Queens Park Rangers, Vissel Kobe, and Team K-League. However, their brilliant winning streak was broken by back-to-back losses against Bayern Munich. Still, Tottenham can be confident coming into the clash, having only once lost a game in their last eight opening-day matches.
Leicester manager Steve Cooper will be in charge of this club game for the first time in a competitive game, with Maresca now leading the Chelsea side. Last season, Leicester were leading the Championship before a downfall had put Leicester’s automatic promotion hopes in doubt. They jumped back with 97 points and are now here to play in the top tier of English football.
Leicester, too, had a strong start in the pre-season friendlies, winning over Villarreal and Shrewsbury Town. However, they suffered three consecutive losses against Palermo, Augsburg, and Lens. Plus, financial breaches have threatened the club’s points deduction. The club will learn about their punishment in 2025, and for now, they will only focus on their game against Tottenham.
Team News
LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 10: Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur during the Pre-Season Friendly match between Tottenham Hotspur and FC Bayern Muenchen at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on August 10, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Ryan Crockett/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
Tottenham’s manager Postecoglou has shown strictness even in the pre-season and has suspended Yves Bissouma in the upcoming game after he filmed himself inhaling laughing gas. Fraser Forster and Richarlison may not be available owing to injuries. Richarlison has a replacement in the form of Dominic Solanke, who arrives at the club with a £65m price tag. Their long-serving captain, Son Heung-min, has been involved in 13 goals in 14 previous meetings with Leicester, with nine goals and four assists.
LEICESTER, ENGLAND – MAY 04: Harry Winks of Leicester City during the Sky Bet Championship match between Leicester City and Blackburn Rovers at The King Power Stadium on May 04, 2024 in Leicester, England. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images) (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
Leicester have been deploying attacking tactics, which is why Patson Daka’s ankle surgery has been a major setback for the side. Daka will be on the sidelines for a while. Jamie Vardy, too, is unavailable for the draw after suffering an injury in the preseason. Conor Cody, too, has hamstring issues, and Luke Thomas will have to undergo a fitness test to confirm participation. This means the club will give a chance to Tom Cannon or Stephy Mavididi for the front line, with Harry Winks being touted for starting in the middle.
Starting lineup
Leicester City: Hermansen; Pereira, Faes, Vestergaard, Justin; Winks, Ndidi, Soumare; Reid, Mavididi, Fatawu
Tottenham Hotspur: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Sarr, Bentancur; Kulusevski, Maddison, Son; Solanke
Prediction
With Leicester City without their principal goal scorers and failing to score in the last three matches, Spurs could inch the game away from their hosts with a clean sheet. Though their last two games were not in their favour, Tottenham could win the game 2-0.
The last game of match week one will Leicester City host Tottenham Hotspur. Both sides look confident and had a decent pre-season outing. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
