Saturday 5 March 2016 15:13, UK
Watford will be out to derail Leicester City’s unlikely push for the Premier League title on Saturday Night Football – but Jamie Redknapp believes Claudio Ranieri's fearless Foxes are up for the challenge...
I know how Leicester are feeling. I wasn't lucky enough to enough to win the league in my career but I was certainly in a position where we should have won it. There is an enormous amount of pressure that comes when you're in the position Leicester find themselves in.
On the other hand, there is no pressure on them at all because nobody expects them to actually win the league. Fans and media attention constantly remind players of how well they're doing and that's when suddenly the title can become a reality. Players can then put themselves under more pressure than they probably should.
Pressure, and how you deal with it, is what the title race is all about, it's the same for Tottenham, Arsenal and Man City. City's star-studded squad are clearly struggling with the pressure while Arsenal have had a difficult week, losing to Manchester United and Swansea.
On Tuesday night Leicester would have been down in the dumps after drawing with West Brom but Wednesday's results will have made them feel like a million dollars. With a favourable set of fixtures on paper ahead of them, the time has come for Leicester to be realistic - they are right in the frame for title!
We all know the game isn't played on paper and some of these games won't necessarily suit Leicester's style of play - Watford on Saturday being a prime example of this. Quique Sanchez Flores will have his team sat back in an attempt to lure Leicester out, negating their ability to counter attack.
I feel both teams' 4-4-2 systems will cancel each other out. Their meeting earlier in the season - a 2-1 win for Leicester - was tight and I suspect this one to be too. Troy Deeney and Odion Ighalo will cause Leicester's back four problems but both teams are direct and aren't afraid of getting the ball forward.
The margins are incredibly fine and I'm struggling to pick a winner. What's certain is that if Leicester can walk away with three points it will be huge for them in the title race. Watford, meanwhile, are a win away from securing their Premier League status for another year. Many people tipped them to go straight back down to the Championship but they have been one of the stories of the season.
N'Golo Kante may return for Saturday's trip to Vicarage Road and that will be a massive boost for Leicester. Take nothing away from Andy King, who scored on Tuesday and couldn't have done a lot more, but he is not Kante, who has to play if he is fit.
If he is a doubt, though, is it worth the risk? Ranieri is taking a gamble if he does start him because he could aggravate his hamstring and face a lengthy spell out. I would be nervous playing Kante if his chances are 50/50, but if they're sure then by all means put him straight back into the team. I would stress that there are still so many games to play, so the last thing Leicester will want is to lose him for five or six games.
Leicester haven't been romping to victory in recent weeks and they'll be hoping to nip a run of unconvincing results in the bud. I know they beat Norwich but they need a couple of results to get that winning feeling and momentum back again for the title run-in.
Having said that, there is a really nice pace and energy to their team and a real feel-good spirit at the club. When I look at Man City I don't see them working for each other, I don't see people busting a gut to fill in for their team-mates if they make a mistake but I definitely see that at Leicester.
Watford are more than capable of holding their own but the Foxes have nothing to fear. They'll head south and play in the exact same manner they have done all season, getting the ball forward and asking questions of the hosts' back four which lacks pace.
There is an enormous amount of pressure when you’re in Leicester's position but, to a certain extent, there is no pressure on them at all as nobody expects them to win the league.
Leicester have got the best record in the Premier League away from home but, as we've seen this season, they're as good at the King Power as they are anywhere. They are comfortable in their own skin and they'll tackle every challenge head on.
Watch Watford v Leicester live on Saturday Night Football, 5.30pm, Sky Sports 1 HD
