Arsenal vs Leicester Premier League preview: How to watch, lineups, top four & prediction

Arsenal face the first of three matches in the space of six days as they host Leicester at the Emirates Stadium for Sunday’s Premier League clash. Here is the match preview.

13 left to go. That is all that remains of this campaign.

With Bukayo Saka echoing his manager’s sentiments about Arsenal heading into every game like it’s a cup final, the next on what would then be a hideously long cup competition is Brendan Rodgers’ struggling Foxes, who were tipped by many to be competing for the same position this season.

Victory over Watford last time out put Arsenal into fourth, a full 15 points and eight places above Sunday’s opponents after the same number of matches played. When these two sides met earlier in the season and Arsenal claimed a 2-0 win it was the result that moved the Gunners above the Foxes.

Arsenal vs Leicester Premier League preview: How to watch, lineups, top four hopes & prediction for Sunday’s clash at the Emirate Stadium

How times have changed.

Mikel Arteta’s side are now in a stronger position to claim a top four spot than anyone could have imagined earlier in the season. Such is their standing in the table that victory here allows the following visit of Liverpool to be effectively marked as a write-off.

It is, of course, not a game to abandon already, but the cushion that would come from three points on Sunday at least balances out any potential slip-up.

What will be interesting to see is how Manchester United and Tottenham fare when the pair go head to head at Old Trafford on Saturday. The outcome of that game can have a huge bearing on who finishes in the Champions League spots – a home win is strongly preferred – although all Arsenal have to focus on is themselves.

Claiming more points than any other side in Europe over the past ten league fixtures, this is a game where Arsenal will be favourites once again to claim the three points. Their excellent home record at the Emirates should put them in good stead, but never discount anything in this division.

Another huge game awaits.

How to Watch on TV

When Is Kick Off? Sunday 13 March
What Time Is Kick Off? 16:30 (GMT)
Where Is it Played? Emirates Stadium
TV Channel/Live Stream? Sky Sports (UK) fuboTV (USA)
Referee? Anthony Taylor
Who’s on VAR? Darren England

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Arsenal Team News vs Leicester – Jamie Vardy Injured for the Visitors

There was the usual weekly debate ongoing prior to the Watford game over who should be starting between Emile Smith Rowe and Gabriel Martinelli.

Smith Rowe missing through Covid made the decision slightly easier.

Arsenal’s No. 10 is fit and recovered now, with no indications this time that he shouldn’t be available to feature. So, once again, the selection decision is there for Arteta.

One he won’t have to deal with is who plays at right-back. Takehiro Tomiyasu is still yet to return to first team training have suffered a new calf injury, and barring a late recovery he looks set to be out once more.

There were some minor fears over Lacazette’s availability, with the captain posting a picture on Instagram of a nasty looking stamp on his leg from Thomas Partey, one he captioned: “player of the month, killer of the month”.

Thankfully, however, he’s fine.

As for the visitors it will be touch and go whether or not Wesley Fofana will make his long-awaited return from injury for the Foxes. Scheduled to feature for them in Europe in midweek, at the last minute he caught Covid and will now be assessed for the weekend.

One player who definitely won’t be playing, thank heavens, is Jamie Vardy. The scorn of Arsenal on 11 occasions in his 14 matches against them, he misses out through injury. James Justin and James Maddison, meanwhile, will be available.

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Arsenal Predicted Lineup to Face Leicester – Any Changes?

Arsenal: Ramsdale; Cedric, White, Gabriel, Tierney; Odegaard, Partey, Xhaka; Saka, Lacazette, Martinelli

Leicester: Schmeichel; Justin, Amartey, Soyuncu, Thomas; Ndidi, Tielemans; Maddison, Dewsbury-Hall, Barnes; Daka

Arsenal vs Leicester Score Prediction

With the way Arsenal are playing and the form they’ve built up at home, anything other than a win against whichever opposition it is – other than the main two – has to be considered a disappointment, at best.

There are some very tough matches coming up for Arsenal and while you would back them to give Chelsea, Tottenham, West Ham and Manchester United a good game, the fixtures against sides in the bottom half of the Premier League table have to end in maximum points to at least limit the amount of jeopardy in forthcoming games.

Surprising as it may be, that is where Leicester find themselves. 12th, to be exact.

Scoring goals hasn’t been their issue this season with their tally of 40 just one shy of the Gunners’ total. No, their very blatant and unavoidable concerns have been defensively, where a whole host of different defensive combinations haven’t prevented them from conceding 43 goals. Only six teams have conceded more this season.

Fofana being absent (as well as countless other injuries) has played a huge part in that, and so too has the inconsistent form of the previously indomitable Caglar Soyuncu. Add to that them having the worst defensive record from set pieces this season with 13 conceded and it doesn’t require much analysis to determine the root of their form.

So there are surely goals in this one, then? Possibly at both ends, although with the Gunners form and their home advantage, the majority will be on their side. And we’ll go for a clean sheet, too.

Score Prediction: Arsenal 2-0 Leicester