Leicester head to London aiming to end torrid Emirates record

At the start of the season Leicester City were tipped to gate-crash the top six’s usual party.

And they have lived up to that prediction. They have spent near enough most of the campaign in the Champions League place and has been the best Leicester have performed since their title winning year of 2015/16.

But the Foxes have had a dip in form. Just one league win since January 22 has seen their strong hold on the top four loosen.

Questions have been raised about the East Midlands side, but they have been answered just at the right time.

Leicester picked up an much needed three points at home to Crystal Palace on Saturday, which kept the gap between themselves, and fifth placed Manchester United at three points. Just in time for their trip to the Emirates, a ground which has never been kind to them.

The Foxes have lost all of their five visits to N5. In fact, you would have to go back to February 1995 for the last time they picked up a point at Arsenal, and even further back to September 1973 for the last time they won a match on their patch.

But let’s not forget that Brendan Rodgers’ side have had a recently good record against the Gunners. They have won three of their last four matches against Arsenal, including back in November.

It was a tight 65 minutes, with very little to separate to the two, until, as Sky Commentator Bill Leslie put it, a “Wonderfully weaved” move for a Jamie Vardy goal, sent Rodgers’ men on their way to a 2-0 victory.

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That win was met by chants by Leicester fans of “We’re all going on a European Tour,” and real belief they were on their way to Europe.

But after their recent run, doubt has crept in, especially with games against Spurs and Manchester United in their final two matches of the season, games they cannot afford to drop in.

If Leicester are to make another impossible dream come true, and qualify for the Champions League, they must end a generation’s wait for a win at North London.

With Leicester’s attacking prowess in Harvey Barnes, James Maddison and Jamie Vardy who, grabbed his 100th and 101st Premier League goal at the weekend, the tools are all there for a first win on Arsenal soil in 47 years.

But Arsenal have started to find their mojo in recent weeks. After losing their opening two matches since the restart, the Gunners have gone on a four-match winning streak, which has seen them book a place in the FA Cup semi-final and has also given them an outside chance of Champions League football.

The 2-0 defeat at the King Power signalled the end for ex-boss Unai Emery who was sacked three weeks later . However, the Gunners have been learning from their mistakes, and are beginning to take shape under Mikel Arteta.

There appears to be more structure, more organisation, more desire and the fitness levels appears to be higher under the ex-Man City man.

This has been evident in Arsenal’s most recent victory against Wolves on Saturday. Arteta’s men played with such urgency, winning 29 tackles, and even committing 11 fouls, highlighting the players’ desire to win the ball. On top of that from Arsenal found the net twice, through their eight chances they produced, showing that they are capable of being clinical infront of goal.

Leicester need to be wary of the attacking threat, Arsenal possess, that includes their youngster Bukayo Saka, Nicolas Pepe, Dani Ceballos, and of course Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who has scored 19 goals this term and is battling it out with Vardy for the Golden Boot.

Regardless it is a very important match in both of these sides’ seasons.

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