We are so close, we must keep fighting. Those were the words of Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri after seeing his team move seven points clear of Tottenham at the top of the league table over the weekend with three matches left to play. The Foxes will look to seal the Premier League title once and for all this coming Sunday when they face 20-time champions Manchester United in a blockbuster showdown at Old Trafford.
Who will emerge victorious in this mouth-watering clash? Read on below for an in-depth breakdown of this top-of-the-table matchup and while you’re at it, you can check out our final 2015-16 Premier League table predictions.
Manchester United will head to their Premier League clash with Leicester City with momentum on their side after beating Everton in the FA Cup Semifinals on Sunday. Anthony Martial scored the winner in injury time to send the Red Devils to a record-equalling 19th FA Cup final. United have now won their last four matches in all competitions.
The Red Devils will look to translate that excellent form in the Premier League where they are locked in a titanic battle with Arsenal and Manchester City for the final Champions League places. United are now five points behind the Gunners and the Citizens in the league table, albeit with a game in hand.
For the Red Devils to sustain their European charge against Leicester, they will need Martial to continue his excellent play. The Frenchman has been involved in 21 goals for United this season, recording 14 goals and seven assists in all competitions. Martial will have his work cut out for him, however, against a Leicester defense that has kept clean sheets in six of its last seven league matches.
That being said, the Red Devils will still be confident of their chances against the Foxes as they have fared extremely well against them of late. United have won 10 of their last 12 league matches against Leicester City. The Foxes, however, managed to grab a point against them in their first meeting this season. Leicester held United to a 1-1 stalemate in that league encounter last November.
The Red Devils are 6-0-0 in their last six Premier League home matches.
Betting on Leicester City
Leicester City stretched their unbeaten run in the Premier League to nine matches with an emphatic 4-0 win over Swansea City on Sunday. Riyad Mahrez, Leonardo Ulloa and Marc Albrighton scored the winning goals for the Foxes who recorded their biggest league victory this campaign. With Tottenham’s draw against West Brom on Monday, the Foxes require just three more points from their final three games to be sure of claiming their maiden top-flight title.
They can achieve that improbable feat when they lock horns with Premier League giants Manchester United this coming Sunday. The Foxes will fancy their chances of getting the necessary result as they have fared extremely well on the road this season. The Foxes lead the league in points scored on the road this campaign with 37. They have scored 31 goals in 17 matches played away from home this season.
It has been a magnificent campaign for the Foxes who have already won 22 Premier League matches, their biggest haul of victories ever in a top-flight season (21 in both 1928/29 and 1965/66). Mahrez has been a vital cog in Leicester’s incredible success this season, scoring 17 goals and dishing out 11 assists. He will need to step it up a notch against the Red Devils as the league leaders will be missing top striker Jamie Vardy (22 goals) who’s still out because of a two-match ban.
The Foxes are 4-1-1 in their last six Premier League away matches.
Writer’s Prediction
Leicester City and Manchester United cancel each other out in an enthralling 2-2 draw (+220).
