We’re going to win the league! That was the emphatic cry of emotional Leicester City supporters after their beloved Foxes defeated Sunderland by two goals on Sunday. Heading into this weekend’s matches, Leicester City sit seven points clear of Tottenham at the top of the Premier League table with only five games left to go.
Claudio Ranieri’s men will look to inch further closer to their first league title when they lock horns with West Ham United in a mouth-watering showdown at King Power Stadium this coming Sunday. Read on below for an in-depth breakdown of this blockbuster clash and while you’re at it, you can check out our NBA Game 1 previews of San Antonio vs. Memphis and Portland vs. LA Clippers.
Leicester City stretched their unbeaten run in the Premier League to seven matches with a thrilling 2-0 victory over Sunderland on Sunday. Jamie Vardy scored a double for the Foxes who moved to within three wins of lifting their first ever Premier League trophy. Vardy became the first Leicester striker to reach the 20-goal milestone in the top flight since Gary Lineker in the 1984-85 season.
Leicester City will look to continue their excellent form when they face West Ham United this coming Sunday. The Foxes will fancy their chances of doing just that as they have fared extremely well at home this season. Leicester City are tied with Tottenham for the most points scored in the league at home this campaign with 35. They have scored 26 goals in 16 matches played at King Power Stadium.
They will have their work cut out for them, however, against a West Ham backline that has conceded just 21 goals on the road this season, ninth-fewest in the Premier League. To make matters worse for the Foxes, the Hammers have won twice as many of the meetings (10) between the two sides in the Premier League with two draws.
That won’t faze the league leaders though who have the red-hot duo of Mahrez and Jamie Vardy by their side. They have combined for 37 goals and 17 assists in this dream season for Leicester City. Mahrez was among the goalscorers in the Foxes’ 2-1 win over West Ham in the Premier League earlier this season.
The Foxes are 5-1-0 in their last six Premier League home matches.
West Ham United missed a great chance to make up some ground in the battle for Champions League qualification as they were held to a 3-3 draw by Arsenal on Saturday. West Ham looked to be on their way to a famous victory after Andy Carroll netted a stunning hat-trick but Laurent Koscielny scored an equalizer in the dying minutes to spoil the Hammers’ party. It was a disappointing result for West Ham who are now five points behind Manchester City for fourth place in the league table.
It won’t get any easier for the Hammers as standing in their way this coming Sunday are Premier League leaders Leicester City. The Foxes have been incredible this season, grabbing 72 points in their opening 33 matches. That’s quite a turnaround for Claudio Ranieri’s men who were sitting at the bottom of the league table at this same stage last season.
For West Ham to dent Leicester City’s title aspirations, they will need to find a way to break through Leicester City’s rock-solid defense. The Foxes have kept seven clean sheets in their last eight Premier League matches at the King Power Stadium. The onus then is on Dimitri Payet to continue his excellent play for the Hammers. The Frenchman has been involved in seven goals (four assists, three goals) in his last seven league games.
The Hammers are 2-2-2 in their last six Premier League away matches.
