Leeds - Leicester will be a highly intriguing clash of styles between a pair of ambitious top-half Premier League sides to wrap up matchweek 7 of the 2020-21 season on Monday (Watch live at 3 pm ET, on NBCSN and online via NBCSports.com).
Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds United side has favored more of a “quantity over quality” approach through the season’s first six game, averaging 14.2 shots per game (3rd-most in the Premier League). They have created their high volume of scoring chances by pressing hard in the middle third of the field and pushing three and four players high up the field to combine on the counter-attack.
Leicester City, meanwhile, are averaging just 9.2 shots per game (6th-lowest in the Premier League) — far more about quality over quantity. The Foxes defend much deeper than most sides in the PL, including Leeds, as they tend to win the ball back in their defensive third and launch equally devastating counter-attacks through Jamie Vardy and… well, actually, no one else. Vardy already has six of Leicester’s 13 goals this season and that isn’t likely to change all that much given how direct and singularly they approach the counter.
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Counter-attacking doesn’t necessarily mean playing extremely negative and directly, and it doesn’t always mean the same thing either. Stylistically speaking, Leeds and Leicester are somewhat similar but also quite different from one another.
Here is everything you need to know ahead of Leeds - Leicester this Monday with team news, odds, stream link and more.
Team news: Leeds - Leicester: (INJURY REPORT)
📋 Your #LUFC Starting XI...
— Leeds United (@LUFC) November 2, 2020
The Foxes' XI for #LeeLei, brought to you by @eToro 🔵
— Leicester City (@LCFC) November 2, 2020
Leeds: OUT: Kalvin Phillips (shoulder), Diego Llorente (groin), Gaetano Berardi (knee), Adam Forshaw (groin)
Leicester: QUESTIONABLE: Jonny Evans (back) | OUT: Caglar Soyuncu (adductor), Timothy Castagne (thigh), Ricardo Pereira (knee), Wilfred Ndidi (groin), Daniel Amartey (thigh)
What they’re saying: Leeds - Leicester:
Marcelo Bielsa, on Patrick Bamford’s England prospects: “The national team manager looks at all the players that can play in a certain position and he has the possibility to compare them all. He would be the more adequate person to make this contribution as he compares all the players, while all the other managers are concentrating on their own team. All I can say is I would be very happy if Bamford is under consideration, but as I explained to you, I can’t have an opinion on this.”
Brendan Rodgers, on his admiration for Bielsa: “I took Swansea up and I know the challenges you have being a newly promoted team. When we got promoted, it was deemed we were just a team coming up and it wasn’t until after teams realised the level of our game. I love Marcelo Bielsa from way back. I started coaching in the 1990s and when I was looking into coaching, different managers and different styles he was on my radar when he was with Argentina. I was delighted when he came to Leeds, they have a great tradition in the game. It didn’t quite work in the first year but in the second year he got them over the line. They have come into the Premier League and been outstanding.”
Odds and ends (full odds provided by our partner, PointsBet)
Leeds (+150) | Leicester (+170) | Draw (+250)
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Prediction: Leeds - Leicester:
An entertaining affair buoyed by an early goal for Leeds, forcing Leicester out of their shell and opening up space for a number of quality attackers on either side. Both of these sides rank high on any theoretical Neutrals to Watch power rankings. Leeds 2-2 Leicester.
How to watch Leeds - Leicester: stream and start time
Kickoff: 3 pm ET Monday
Online: Stream via NBCSports.com