Leicester City Previews: ‘Nothing but the Huth’
26th September 2017
Huddersfield Town vs Leicester City
Kick off 3pm
Preview:
I remember the last time I visited the John Smith’s Stadium. 26th April 2014, the season Leicester became champions of the SkyBet Championship. Ex-Blackpool striker Gary Taylor-Fletcher was on the score sheet in a convincing 2-0 win. It meant Leicester were on 99 points from 45 games played come that Saturday evening; I was witnessing the rise of the Foxes.
It was just a shame that that season we went up to the Premier League, and I in-turn moved to Wrexham for the start of University for three years!
This season on the other hand, the contrast in these two sides so far in terms of league standings couldn’t be any more different.
Huddersfield have had a superb start to their first Premier League campaign, and currently occupy 6th spot, winning two out of their first four matches, including a 3-0 victory away at Crystal Palace.
Leicester’s start to the season sees them in 17th position, one place above the relegation zone. However, it’s not through a lack of trying. The rub of the green hasn’t quite been with the East Midlands side, who have played some very good expansive football so far this season, and have endured a tricky start to the 2017-2018 season.
This game hangs firmly in the balance…
Stats:
Huddersfield were actually the first team in history to be promoted with a negative goal difference (-2), after their remarkable Championship season last year. It was great to witness a team who played some good attacking football, yet were also able to grind out results when needed.
This season under David Wagner, the Terriers haven’t conceded a goal at home. However in contrast, they have only scored the one goal, coming in their first home Premier League match against fellow promoted side Newcastle United.
Leicester on the other hand, have conceded six goals away from home this season, at an average of three per game, and are yet to win away from the King Power Stadium. Although these games were away at Arsenal and Manchester United.
In league format, Leicester haven’t lost to Huddersfield since November 1995, where they suffered a 3-1 away defeat in the old Division One.
Since then, the Foxes have won seven out of nine, drawing one. Their only defeat came in the FA Cup in 2013 at the King Power Stadium, losing 2-1.
The biggest victory for Leicester over Huddersfield came in 2013, where new signing Chris Wood picked up from where he left off at Millwall, scoring a brace on his debut in a 6-1 rout- a game I happened to be at!
The first competitive fixture between the sides came all the way back in October 1910, with the East Midlands side coming out on top by two goals to one. As of today, Leicester have only beaten Huddersfield eight times on the road since then, with the Yorkshire side winning 57.9% of games played at their ground (11 out of 19 matches).
Following that, one thing you can bank on is goals. There’s only been three 0-0 draws since 1910; I guess i’m tempting fate here, but I can’t see this game being 0-0…
Prediction:
I think this could be the perfect time to play Huddersfield from a Leicester perspective.
The Terries come into this game off the back of a 2-0 away defeat to a struggling West Ham side, and Leicester will be seen as favourites too.
With Iborra in line to return after injury, as well as Iheanacho almost a full fitness, Leicester’s starting XI could be a real danger for the home side.
Of course, Wagner’s men can cause the Foxes some issues too. Top scorer Steve Mounie has been a threat to teams all season, and Aaron Mooy who was the star of the show and scored the winner against Newcastle, is a real handful in midfield.
If Huddersfield win, they could go into the top four; results dependant of course. With the hometown faithful behind the men in blue and white stripes, there’s always a chance of that, as well as a goal or two.
If Leicester were to lose, the pressure on manager Craig Shakespeare may go up a notch, as the Foxes could find themselves in the bottom three.
However, with all that being said, I’m feeling positive about this one, and I think Leicester will edge this game, and avoid dropping below the dreaded relegation line.