Leicester still looking for inspiration as they visit Bournemouth

Leicester are still trying to pick up pre-lockdown form while Bournemouth are on survival mode to avoid relegation. They will clash at the Vitality Stadium on Sunday.

The Foxes have got only one win since Project Restart. Draws against Watford, Brighton and Arsenal, defeats to Everton in the league and Chelsea in the FA Cup, have shown that Leicester are a different side following lockdown.

Brendan Rodgers’ men might have the Premier League top scorer in Jamie Vardy with 22 goals, but it seems like it is becoming a one-man team. At least on a goal-scoring basis, the English striker is their main source of threat in the box. The chasm to their the second-best is somewhat telling, Ayoze Perez with a paltry seven goals.

As a result, if Vardy is not in a good mood, the whole side is set for failure. Indeed, it has been illustrated in their run once again, Leicester’s best results were their only triumph against Crystal Palace with three goals where the striker had found the net two times. Moreover, Vardy was the author of their late equaliser in their dramatic draw against Arsenal last week.

Additionally, the Midlands club would often look to James Maddison for inspiration, though the midfielder has only played in three of their six games since the football resumption due to injury and failed to provide an assist or let alone score a goal since the start of the calendar year. He is set to miss the clash on Sunday with a hip issue.

There is some glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel though. Rodgers will be delighted with the younger side of his roster, 22-year-old Harvey Barnes’ eye-catching performance against Palace gave his side a lift, creating two goals. 23-year-old striker Kelechi Iheanacho has found the net on two occasions in the past five outings and is proving to be a growing alternative goal-scorer.

Luckily for the Foxes though, they will be facing the third worst defence in the Premier League, Eddie Howe’s men have conceded 59 times this campaign, 12 of them have come off in the last five games, scoring three goals in return.

The Cherries will be attempting to not follow Norwich City who have been officially relegated after losing to Newcastle United on Saturday afternoon. They did show great resilience against Spurs earlier in the week, achieving a point for the first time after five consecutive defeats.

While on the other side of the table is Leicester, who are entrenched within a different battle, the top four race and to re-claim third spot following Chelsea’s loss to Sheffield United. A win is also needed to stay safe from Champions League hungry Manchester United who sit in fifth, with a one-point margin away from the Foxes.