Crystal Palace vs Leicester preview: Foxes not out for revenge, says Claude Puel
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Saturday 15 December 2018 07:23, UK
Leicester manager Claude Puel has denied his side will be out for revenge when they take on struggling Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.
The Foxes did not fare well against Palace last season, losing 3-0 at home and 5-0 at Selhurst Park.
"It was a bad day for us," said Puel. "It's another season, another game and it will not be a revenge for us.
"It's important to keep the right concentration about this game and our play, because we need to move on another step in our play
"There are a lot of games to play in a short space of time and we need to focus, because we want to perform well."
There was some good news for the Frenchman with both Harry Maguire and Jamie Vardy in the squad.
Defender Maguire has been out for more than a month because of a knee injury, while striker Vardy has missed Leicester's last two games due to a groin problem.
And Leicester's only win in the last month has been a 2-0 home victory over Watford.
However, Palace's form is even worse, with Roy Hodgson's team 16th in the Premier League, two points above the relegation zone, after four defeats in their last six games.
Team news
Full-back Ben Chilwell is a doubt for Leicester due to a knee injury. Vardy and Maguire will be assessed to see if they start.
Daniel Amartey (broken ankle) is out for another few months.
Wilfried Zaha and James Tomkins are suspended for Palace and striker Christian Benteke remains out as he recovers from injury. There had been doubts about Patrick van Aanholt due to a suspected shoulder, but he is expected to be fit.
Match stats
Palace are looking to record three consecutive top-flight wins against Leicester for the first time, following home and away victories in 2017-18.
Leicester have won just three of their last 14 games at Selhurst Park in all competitions (D5 L6), with the most recent of these coming in the 2015-16 season when the Foxes won the Premier League (1-0).
Palace have won and kept a clean sheet in each of their last two Premier League games against Leicester - the last team they won three consecutive games against without conceding was Aston Villa in April 2014.
Leicester haven't lost three consecutive games without scoring against an opponent in the Premier League since April 2002 (six in a row against Manchester United).
Only Southampton (35) have conceded more away Premier League goals in 2018 than Leicester City (32).
Palace winger Wilfried Zaha has scored in each of his last two Premier League appearances against Leicester, while he's never previously netted in three consecutive games against a single opponent in the competition.
Merson's prediction
Palace need to win this game, but they should be too good to go down. It's dangerous to have that attitude, and it could catch up with them in the end.
They played Burnley at home in a crunch game, absolutely batter them, and then follow that up with a defeat at rivals Brighton, who had 10 men!
Then I watch Leicester, and if Jamie Vardy doesn't play they are toothless. They could still be playing now against Tottenham and wouldn't have scored. I reckon Hugo Lloris didn't even have a shower.
PAUL PREDICTS: 1-1 (9/2 with Sky Bet)
