Leicester City will be looking for revenge when they face Aston Villa in the Premier League.
Trezeguet’s added time winner at Villa Park broke Leicester hearts and sent Villa to the EFL Cup Final, where they lost to Manchester City, 2-1.
The away side haven’t been in the best of form in the league, losing their last three games which has seen them slip into the relegation places.
Leicester haven’t been great either. Since The Foxes’ 4-1 victory away at Villa on December 8, they have only won three times in their last 12 games. Although they are third, the Foxes will want to improve on their recent run and strengthen their hold on the Champions League positions.
Despite Villa’s loss in the EFL Cup final, Dean Smith was proud of his side’s display at Wembley last weekend and no doubt will be hoping that they can use that performance as belief that they can avoid a instant return to the Championship.
It’s been a positve week for Brendan Rodgers too. His side secured a place in the FA Cup Quarter-finals with a 1-0 win over Birmingham City and will be looking to beat their Second City rivals on Monday night.
With the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United picking up three points on Sunday, and the likes of Bournemouth, Watford and West Ham slipping up on Saturday. Neither Leicester or Aston Villa can afford to drop points.
A win for The Foxes would move them five points clear of Chelsea and 8 points ahead of United, while victory for the Villans would take them out of the drop zone.
Team News
For Leicester – Nampalys Mendy, Knee. Daniel Amartey, Ankle. There will be late fitness tests for Jamie Vardy and Ben Chilwell. Vardy have suffered with a calf problem and Chilwell has had a thigh injury.
For Aston Villa – Wesley and Tom Heaton are out for the rest of the campaign with ACL injuries. Jed Steer (Calf). John McGinn is back in training following a knee injury he suffered in December, but is still not ready to feature
Brendan Rodgers made it clear in his press conference he wants Champions League football this season:
“We have an opportunity now with 10 games to go to make it a historical season. If we can qualify into the Champions League for only the second time in the history of the club, it would be incredible.
“Our aim was to have European football and we’re in a great position to do that. Any team in this position would want to finish in the Champions League.
“When we reflect with 10 games to go with the team, in terms of our goals, right from the beginning of the season, then actually we’re ahead of what we thought we would be.
“Ultimately it is the best club competition in European football so of course you want to be in. The challenge for me here was to take a club outside the top six into the top six, that’s why I came.”
Dean Smith reminices the last three games his team faced Leicester:
“We know each other very well now that we’ve played three times this season. They beat us 4-1 in the league at Villa Park, but we had a couple of chances to take the lead in that game.
“Tyrone Mings got injured and they exposed us. We went there and we had to put up a good defensive display, coming away with a 1-1 draw.
“We then managed to beat them at the death at Villa Park. We know on our day we can more than match them, but they’re in third place for a reason.
“We’ve got a great belief that we can win any of the 11 games we’ve got left to play.”
Head-to-Head
Aston Villa wins – 34
Draws – 25
Leicester wins – 42
Leicester City
Aston Villa
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