Premier League Boxing Day: Leicester City vs. Newcastle Preview, Odds, Prediction

Leicester City and Newcastle had been on fire before the World Cup, and the pause came at the worst possible moment for these two units. The Foxes recovered following a nightmare start, beginning to pound rivals and showing their true talent. On the other side, Newcastle has been constant and very good throughout the entire campaign. Eddie Howe built a respectable squad without some big-time shopping spree, which many expected to happen at St. James’ Park. We’ll see which unit preserved its rhythm better over the past month.

Preview

Leicester City (+225) had four wins in the past five EPL games. Since the World Cup started, Brendan Rodgers’ crew played one friendly game, against Troyes, which ended without goals, and last Tuesday, clashed with MK Dons in the Carabao Cup. The Foxes were routine in this event, beating the rivals 0-3, and advancing to the next stage.

What is noticeable is that the defense tightened up over the previous two months. At the start of the championship, the back line had been the biggest problem for Rodgers. Injuries, Fofana’s blackmail and leave in the worst possible moment, with Schmeichel’s transfer, hit the Foxes hard, but the team stabilized now.

Including the game with Troyes, in the past nine events, Leicester posted eight clean sheets. Meanwhile, all of their wins were with at least two goals scored, proving that the former champs are on the rise.

Newcastle (+120) is ranked third in the English Premier League standings, with just one defeat this year. In 15 events, the Magpies won eight times, had six draws and a single defeat, with a goal difference of 29-11.

Eddie Howe’s crew has nine consecutive victories now, with two club-friendly events during the World Cup (Al Hilal 5-0 and Rayo Vallecano, 2-1) and the most recent Carabao Cup win over Bournemouth, 1-0. A few expected to see the Magpies hitting hard like this, particularly because they didn’t land a world-class name during the transfer window.

The biggest strength of this crew is defense, as Magpies have seven clean sheets in the past 10 events, which deserves credit. Newcastle is the third-best defense on the road in the league, allowing six goals in seven games, with only Arsenal and Man City being better.

Latest News

Jonny Evans is injured and out, Souyuncu too, the same as Justin and Pereira. Injuries continue to haunt the Foxes.

Schar is doubtful due to a cold, while Isak and Dummet won’t play for sure, according to the latest intel from the physio.

Head to Head Games

Last year, both units used the home-field advantage, with the Foxes winning 4-0 at their King Power Stadium, and Newcastle beating the rivals 2-1 at St. Mary’s.

Prediction

Both teams have trustworthy defense in recent matchups, but on the other side have quite a productive offense, often scoring two or more goals in their events. We believe that this game won’t bring too many goals, yet, it won’t be dull and inefficient as well. That’s why a moderate efficiency, 2 or 3 goals seems to be the best pick for this contest.

Pick: 2 or 3 goals, +100