Leicester City vs Watford. Premier League.
The King Power StadiumAttendance31,891.
Saturday 20 January 2018 13:54, UK
Leicester will welcome back a number of key players, including Jamie Vardy, for their Premier League clash with Watford.
Claude Puel rested several of his first-team regulars for the midweek FA Cup third-round replay victory over Fleetwood but they are set to return on Saturday as Leicester look to maintain their unbeaten start to 2018.
The Foxes' resurgence since Puel was appointed in October has seen them climb to eighth in the table - their highest position since they won the title in 2016.
Watford meanwhile go in search of a victory to help turn their season around having won just one of their last 10 matches.
Marco Silva's side have picked up just five points in that time - the fewest by any side - although that sole win came against Leicester at Vicarage Road when they came from behind after Riyad Mahrez's opener to win the game 2-1.
Several players will return to the Leicester team when they resume their Premier League campaign.
Kasper Schmeichel, Harry Maguire, Onyinye Ndidi, Marc Albrighton and Jamie Vardy were all rested to one degree or another against Fleetwood in the FA Cup in midweek but should be back in the starting line-up on Saturday.
Ben Chilwell missed the third-round replay through suspension and he too might be restored to the side. Fellow full-back Danny Simpson (hamstring) has resumed training but the visit of the Hornets could come too soon for him to be involved.
Midfielder Tom Cleverley is a doubt for Watford's trip.
Former Manchester United and Everton midfielder Cleverley went off in the first half of last weekend's 2-2 draw with Southampton with a hamstring problem.
The Hornets still have a long list of injured players. Isaac Success, Craig Cathcart, Nathaniel Chalobah (all knee), Will Hughes, Kiko Femenia (both hamstring), Younes Kaboul (foot) and Miguel Britos (ankle) are out.
Leicester have won seven of their last nine home league matches (including play-offs) against Watford (D1 L1), including each of the last two Premier League clashes.
The Hornets have won just one of their seven away top-flight visits to Leicester, losing all three in the Premier League; their one win came in April 1987 at Filbert Street under Graham Taylor.
The Foxes have kept a clean sheet in their last two Premier League games - as many as they had in their previous 14 in the competition. They last went three without conceding in the competition during their title-winning season (a run of five between March/April 2016).
Watford's 23 Premier League games this season have seen a total of 75 goals scored (F33 A42) - only Man City's (84) and Liverpool's (82) have seen more.
Indeed, no team has scored more (5, level with Man City) or conceded more (4, level with West Ham) 90th minute goals in the Premier League this season than Marco Silva's side, with eight of those nine goals in total changing the outcome of the match (W2 D3 L3).
Only Stoke (18) have gone behind in more Premier League games this season than Watford (16), with the Hornets coming from two goals down in their last match against Southampton to draw 2-2.
Watford have picked up just five points from their last 30 available in the Premier League (W1 D2 L7) - no side has picked up fewer points over their last 10 games in the competition.
Riyad Mahrez has scored in each of his last four Premier League games against Watford, though only one of these games has been at the King Power Stadium.
Troy Deeney has been involved in six goals in his last seven league starts (including play-offs) against Leicester (three goals, three assists).
Richarlison has attempted 71 shots in the Premier League this season - only Harry Kane (130) and Mo Salah (88) have had more.
Leicester's draw at Chelsea was one of the best times I've seen them play, even when they won the Premier League. When they won the title, let's be honest, it was sit back, sit back, sit back, counter-attack, score, then sit back, sit back.
They literally took the game to Chelsea on Saturday, and could have had five goals in the first 20 minutes! They were outstanding.
I know Watford had a fightback second half against Southampton when Troy Deeney came on, but in the first half they were all over the place
PAUL PREDICTS: 2-0 (8/1 with Sky Bet)
