quarta-feira, 29 de abril de 2015

Leicester City v Chelsea - preview


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BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE

  • Venue: King Power Stadium
  •  
  • Date: Wednesday, 29 April

MATCH STATS


Possession50%50%0minsLeicester CityChelsea

Shots

00

On target

00

Corners

00

Fouls

00

TEAM NEWS

Leicester will assess Jamie Vardy, who needed a pain-killing injection in his foot in order to play at the weekend.
David Nugent and Jeffrey Schlupp are also doubtful because of calf injuries, but Chris Wood is available after being recalled from a loan spell at Ipswich.
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho is unsure whether to risk Diego Costa, who could return from a hamstring injury at the King Power Stadium.
Fellow forward Loic Remy is again ruled out with a calf problem.
The Blues will monitor midfielder Oscar, who required hospital treatment following a collision with Arsenal goalkeeper David Ospina on Sunday.

MATCH PREVIEW

Leicester boss Nigel Pearson has angrily dismissed suggestions he could field a weakened side on Wednesday when the Foxes have the chance to win five successive top-flight games for the first time in 51 years.
The fourth-bottom side are also at home in Saturday's lunchtime match, when they host struggling Newcastle, but Pearson has refuted claims he will prioritise the weekend fixture.
"I think any questions that intimate there may be a hint of lack of commitment is pretty poor personally, from either side," Pearson said.
"I think that is an insult to our professionalism. What is our strongest side? Do you know? It is a loaded question.
"A weakened side is being disrespectful to our squad of players. I've never picked a side which doesn't have the integrity of any competition in mind."
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, meanwhile, has defended his team after they ground out a goalless draw at Arsenal on Sunday.
Gunners supporters accused the league leaders of being "boring", but Mourinho insists sides who dominate possession are not necessarily entertaining.
"The way people now analyse style and flair is to take the goals out of the pitch," he said.
"It's the football they play on the moon, and the surface is not good. Some holes. But no goals.
"I ask myself if in the future, when I am a granddad and I am at home with my grandsons, maybe the future of football is a beautiful green grass carpet without goals.
"For me, I am very simple in my analysis. Football is about putting the ball in the net of your opponent and stopping your opponent."

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head
  • Chelsea have won their last seven league and cup games against Leicester, scoring a total of 22 goals.
  • The Foxes' last win against the Blues came in February 2001, when Muzzy Izzet and Gary Rowett scored in a 2-1 victory at Filbert Street.
Leicester City
  • Victory would see Leicester claim five consecutive top-flight wins for the first time since 1964.
  • Jamie Vardy has scored three goals and set up two more in his last five Premier League appearances.
  • The Foxes have claimed 14 points from a possible 27 when fielding January signing Robert Huth.
Chelsea
  • They are unbeaten in their last 13 top-flight matches (W9, D4).
  • Under Jose Mourinho, the Blues have kept clean sheets in 103 of 191 league games (54%).
  • PFA Player of the Year Eden Hazard has created 88 goalscoring chances in this season's Premier League, more than any other player.

Leicester City vs. Chelsea: Team news, TV & streaming information, preview, title pre-party



Had hilariously bad referee Michael Oliver been just a little less hilariously bad on Sunday and awarded either one of the two nailed-on penalties to Chelsea -- or, alternatively, if Ramires had gone for a chip instead of a toe-poke -- we would be talking about how Chelsea could clinch the Premier League title in this one.  Alas, that party's been delayed until the weekend.  Which is ok, since then we can have the party at Stamford Bridge.  And what a party it could be!
But let's not get ahead of ourselves.  For there to be a party on Sunday, we need to win today.  (And probably win Sunday, too.)  The magic number is six.  Leicester City have a magic number, too, thirty-six.  Which is my rough guess at the minimum number of points needed for survival in this year's Premier League.  Leicester have thirty-one right now, twelve of which have come in the last four weeks.
That's right, after four straight wins, the Foxes have climbed out of the cellar and shovedSunderland down there instead.  From worst team in the league to one of the most in-form teams in the league faster than you can say "[fun] off and die," right Nigel?
But hey, what's yet another in-form team to Chelsea?  No big deal, right?  Now watch our almost-player Kramarić light us up for twenty goals after we kept clean sheets against both Manchester United and Arsenal.
Date / Time: Wednesday, April 29, 2015, 19:45 BST; 2:45pm EDT; 12:15am IST
Venue: King Power Stadium, Leicester, England
Referee: Mark Clattenburg -- This will only be Clattenburg's second Chelsea match this season.  We drew 1-1 with Manchester City in his first one.
Forecast: It's going to try to rain on our (pre-)parade...
On TV: Sky Sports 1 (UK); NBCSN, NBC Universo (USA); Star Sports 4 / HD 4 (India); elsewhere
Online: Sky Go (UK);  NBC Sports Live Extra, Deportes Telemundo En Vivo Extra (USA); Star Sports (India)
Leicester City team news: A couple days ago, the rumor was that Nigel Pearson might opt to play a weakened side in this midweek make-up game, to save his troops for the more "winnable" games coming up in the final four games (NewcastleSouthampton, Sunderland, QPR).  Those last two certainly will go a long way towards determining the three relegated teams.  But yesterday, Pearson rubbished any such plans, so we'll most likely have to face the full fury and power of mighty Leicester City.  Should they win their fifth top flight match in a row, they will have accomplished something not seen in over half a century.
A bit like Chelsea, most of Leicester's injury concerns are at striker.  In fact, they recalled Chris Wood from Ipswich Town to provide an option behind the ailing David Nugentand Jamie Vardy.  Winger Jeff Schlupp's also a doubt.  Big men Ulloa and Kramaric are still there of course, too, but they have a combined three goals between them since January.
Chelsea team news: Loic Remy's out for sure.  Diego Costa is probably out as well.  Oscar, who played a sort-of striker on Sunday will probably be rested, too, though it's unclear what the final diagnosis on his head injury was.  Didier Drogba looks to be starting another one by default then.  Thibaut Courtois may or may not be carrying a knock, though we're well covered there.
Previously: Speaking of Courtois, he did this in our first meeting with Leicester this season.

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