Can the ‘Marc Albrighton streak’ continue as Leicester travel to Goodison to face Everton?

Everton host Leicester City at Goodison Park in their first Premier League game in over two weeks. The last time they played in the League was on 12th January when they brushed Wolves aside at Molineux. Since then, they have beaten Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup.  

The Foxes have played three games since then, winning all of them. Furthermore, the last time that the away side lost a game was in fact against the Toffees.  

Brendan Rodgers’ men are on an eight-game unbeaten streak which stretches back to December the 16th when they were beaten 2-0 at home to Everton.  

Richarlison got his annual goal at the King Power Stadium, as Mason Holgate popped up with a goal in the second half to see off the game. 

Ever since the loss to Everton, Leicester have played with an established 11, that didn’t really change. Marc Albrighton played in seven of eight of the games, a very influential player for the Foxes who is highly rated and respected by the boss.  

Albrighton has had a mostly enjoyable time at Leicester since joining the East Midlands side in 2014. Making the switch from fellow Midlands side Aston Villa, he was always known to be a talented player and City secured his services on a free.

Having not featured consistently in his first season at the club where Nigel Pearson led the Foxes to the ‘Great Escape’, the Tamworth born winger would have been unsure whether he was going to fit in.  

However, the following season when Leicester were crowned the Premier League champions, Albrighton played a key role. He featured in all 38 games of the title winning campaign.  

Following being crowned the Champions of England in 2016, Leicester went on to compete in a European competition for the first time in over 15 years. They came up against Club Brugge over in Belgium in their first game back, who else but Marc Albrighton scored the clubs first UCL goal since Muzzy Izzet’s strike in September of 2000.  

They enjoyed a fruitful campaign in the Champions League, where they reached the last eight and narrowly lost out to Athletico Madrid due to some poor officiating decisions.  

Albrighton scored a crucial goal in the second leg of the round of last 16 against Sevilla which set them up to eventually come from behind to win the game and progress.  

Fast-forward four years after having a few inconsistent seasons with Leicester, the 31-year-old finds himself as a regular starter with the Foxes fighting for the title. They’ve only lost one game in the 13 that Albrighton has featured in this season, leading to Foxes fans claiming ‘we don’t lose when Albrighton plays’, which is almost entirely true.  

He could play a pivotal part in how Leicester’s season pans out with his hard work and determination up and down the wing, occasionally chipping in with the odd goal and also often providing chances for his team mates to put away. 

Rodgers will be expected to go with the same team that beat Chelsea last week as they travel to Merseyside to face a tricky Carlo Ancelotti side.  

However, the Northern-Irishmen faces selection headache as Caglar Soyuncu and Ricardo Pereira both made their first starts in a long time at the weekend in an FA Cup win away at Brentford.  

If Leicester can take maximum points, and results go their way they could find themselves top of the Premier League for the second time in a week. Meanwhile, Everton can move into the top four with a win to continue their good form. It should be a cracking fixture, as at this stage of the season every game is a must win.  

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