Frank Lampard talks to Sky. “We’re coming to a really tough place, they’re playing really well. They’re a very accomplished team with a very good coach. But we have to believe in ourselves. We have a lot of energy in the team, different quality. Callum is effecting games more than ever, and that’s his development as a young player. His confidence is there. Kai as well. There’s clearly an adaptation period at such an age, but he’s playing really well in training. Some of our control against Fulham was a little bit safe, we didn’t do enough. There may be more space for us today. We have to be at our best.” Lampard also confirms that Olivier Giroud is out injured, having taken a “bang on the ankle” against Fulham.
Some added incentive for Chelsea, should they require any. London rivals West Ham have just beaten West Brom 2-1, a result that sees the Hammers leapfrog them into seventh place. Chelsea need to win tonight to reclaim that spot on goal difference. Simon Burnton was watching that one; here’s how it unfolded in real time.
Brendan Rodgers speaks to Sky. “The team is in good form and we haven’t had to change it too much of late. But we know we will still need the squad this season, and it’ll be a really tough game tonight, and a quick turnaround in games, so we’ll definitely need the players on the bench. If you can be close to the top or at the top, it shows you deserve to be there and have been playing well. Tonight Chelsea are a talented team with good players, but we want to continue with our momentum. From an attacking perspective they look really strong, but we can play football as well. The players have shown real flexibility to play different games in different ways.”
Leicester are unchanged from the 2-0 win over Southampton. Jamie Vardy has recovered from a hip problem picked up against Saints and starts.
Chelsea make four changes to the side named for the 1-0 win at Fulham. Reece James, Kai Havertz, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Tammy Abraham take the places of Cesar Azpilicueta, Jorginho, Hakim Ziyech and Olivier Giroud. Misfiring striker Timo Werner once again has to make do with a place on the bench. Giroud is missing altogether.
Leicester City: Schmeichel, Castagne, Fofana, Evans, Justin, Ndidi, Tielemans, Albrighton, Maddison, Barnes, Vardy.
Subs: Soyuncu, Ward, Iheanacho, Perez, Amartey, Under, Choudhury, Ricardo Pereira, Thomas.
Chelsea: Mendy, James, Thiago Silva, Rudiger, Chilwell, Havertz, Kovacic, Mount, Hudson-Odoi, Abraham, Pulisic.
Subs: Arrizabalaga, Christensen, Jorginho, Werner, Zouma, Ziyech, Gilmour, Azpilicueta, Emerson Palmieri.
Referee: Craig Pawson (South Yorkshire).
Leicester City, champions of England in 2016, can leap back to the top of the Premier League this evening. All they have to do is beat Chelsea, who before an uncertain win against ten-man Fulham the other night, had lost their previous three away fixtures. The Foxes by comparison have their tails up, currently on a three-match winning run, and with seven wins and two draws in their last ten.
But the head-to-head gives Leicester something to think about. They’ve not lost any of their last five matches against Chelsea. However, four of those were draws, while Chelsea have won on five of their last seven visits to the King Power. It’s very much swings and roundabouts. Good luck calling it!
So will Leicester reach the summit? Will Chelsea nudge Everton out of sixth spot? Or will it be a narrative-shattering draw? We’ll find out soon enough. It’s on!
Kick off: 8.15pm GMT.
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