MX23RW : Monday, December 23 09:04:58| >> :120:36207:36207:
[monks data]
Attendance: 31,682
Wolves logo
Premier League | Gameweek 26
Feb 14, 2020 at 8pm UK
 
Leicester logo

0-0

FT

Preview: Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. Leicester City - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole provides team news, predicted lineups and a full preview of Friday's Premier League encounter between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leicester City.

Leicester City make the short trip to Molineux to face Wolverhampton Wanderers looking for the victory which would take the club into second place in the Premier League table.

Meanwhile, Wolves play host to the Foxes with the opportunity to move into sixth position, despite a run of just one top-flight win in half-a-dozen matches.


Match preview

Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers pictured on December 8, 2019© Reuters

Brendan Rodgers would have expected to return after the winter break with Leicester cut adrift of second-placed Manchester City, but the postponement of their fixture with West Ham United at the weekend has provided the Foxes with a chance to apply some pressure to Pep Guardiola's side.

While the aim is to guarantee a top-four spot as soon as possible, Rodgers will want to remain in close proximity with City, viewing it as a sign that his developing squad are not settling for being among the top clubs in the division.

With Leicester having had the chance to get over the disappointment of missing out on the EFL Cup final, they will now be fully focused on the top flight with a home clash with City following the visit to Wolves.

Rodgers is aware that negative results in each of those fixtures would lead to pressure from the chasing pack, although this Leicester side have shown over the past few months that they are capable of finding an extra gear.

Having kept just one clean sheet in their last 13 outings against top-tier opposition, Rodgers will hope that the extra time on the training ground will help improve that side of their game, one which separated them from many of their rivals during the opening three months of the season.

After a run of one success from eight games in all competitions, Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo also finds himself hoping that the brief respite from an exhausting schedule can prove to be the difference over the next three months.

Despite Wolves having been provided with a testing fixture list since the Christmas period, Nuno will not be satisfied with his team's results, upping the stakes against opponents who he will feel are on a similar level to his own side.

As it stands, one victory could prove crucial in the race for European qualification next season, while this meeting with the East Midlands outfit represents Wolves' last showdown with the top three for the season.

That factor should be taken into account when assessing why Wolves have recently dropped down to ninth place in the standings, although that will never be an excuse used by Nuno given the quality at his disposal.

Over normal time, Wolves are unbeaten in their last four home matches against Leicester, something which they will want to maintain at the start of a pivotal few weeks in their season.

Wolverhampton Wanderers Premier League form: LLDWLD
Wolverhampton Wanderers form (all competitions): DDLWLD

Leicester City Premier League form: WWLLWD
Leicester City form (all competitions): LLWWLD


Team News

Ryan Bennett in action for Wolves on September 19, 2019© Reuters

Having left Wolves for Leicester on loan during the January window, Ryan Bennett is ineligible to face his parent club on Friday night.

Rodgers is hoping to have Wilfred Ndidi available after a knee injury, but Nampalys Mendy will play no part due to sustaining a similar issue to his teammate.

With Youri Tielemans expected to feature in the centre of midfield, Rodgers could be left with a straight choice between Ayoze Perez and Harvey Barnes on the right flank.

As for Wolves, Nuno is hopeful that Adama Traore will have fully recovered from a knock and a shoulder injury sustained at Manchester United on February 1.

Providing that he is passed fit, Nuno is likely to name the same starting lineup, leaving Daniel Podence to settle for a place on the substitutes' bench.

Wolverhampton Wanderers possible starting lineup:
Patricio; Saiss, Coady, Boly; Doherty, Neves, Moutinho, Jonny; Traore, Jimenez, Jota

Leicester City possible starting lineup:
Schmeichel; Pereira, Evans, Soyuncu, Chilwell; Ndidi, Praet, Tielemans; Perez, Maddison, Vardy


Sports Mole Logo

We say: Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-1 Leicester City

With both clubs having enjoyed a much-deserved rest, we are expecting a hard-fought encounter at Molineux. While Leicester are the marginal favourites, Wolves have the quality to earn a share of the spoils.



ID:389460: cacheID:389460:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:8101:
Written by
Darren Plant

Data Analysis

Our analysis of all available data, including recent performances and player stats up until an hour before kickoff, suggested the most likely outcome of this match was a win with a probability of 37.23%. A win for had a probability of 37.12% and a draw had a probability of 25.7%.

The most likely scoreline for a win was 0-1 with a probability of 8.91%. The next most likely scorelines for that outcome were 1-2 (8.3%) and 0-2 (6.09%). The likeliest win was 1-0 (8.89%), while for a drawn scoreline it was 1-1 (12.15%).


Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


Restore Data
Share this article now:
Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers pictured on December 8, 2019
Read Next:
Brendan Rodgers insists Leicester still "super underdogs" for top-four finish
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool16123137162139
2Chelsea17105237191835
3Arsenal1796234161833
4Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest179442319431
5Bournemouth178452721628
6Aston Villa178452626028
7Manchester CityMan City178362925427
8Newcastle UnitedNewcastle177552721626
9Fulham176742422225
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton176742726125
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1772839251423
12Brentford177283232023
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd176472122-122
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham175572230-820
15Everton163761421-716
16Crystal Palace173771826-816
17Leicester CityLeicester173592137-1614
18Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1733112740-1312
19Ipswich TownIpswich172691632-1612
20Southampton1713131136-256


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!