Newcastle vs Leicester preview
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Wednesday 1 January 2020 15:46, UK
Team news, stats and prediction ahead of Newcastle vs Leicester in the Premier League on New Year's Day (kick-off 3pm).
Team news
Newcastle will have to contend with a lengthy injury list as they look to avenge the 5-0 defeat to Leicester in October with defender Fabian Schar and striker Joelinton having emerged from the Everton game, which full-back Javier Manquillo missed because of a groin strain, with hamstring and calf problems respectively.
Matty James remains a long-term absentee for Leicester, while the only other issue for Brendan Rodgers is the fitness of Ricardo Pereira, who is struggling with a hamstring injury.
Jamie Vardy will return having missed the West Ham match after his wife gave birth to their daughter.
Opta stats
- Newcastle have lost their last three Premier League home games against Leicester, as many as they had in their previous 22 against the Foxes at St James' Park in the top-flight (W13 D6 L3).
- Leicester won the reverse fixture against Newcastle 5-0, their joint-biggest margin of victory against the Magpies in the top-flight (also 6-1 in January 1930). The only previous Premier League season that Leicester did the double over Newcastle was their title winning campaign of 2015-16.
- Newcastle have won their first league game of a calendar year in just one of the last seven years (D1 L5), beating Stoke 1-0 on New Year's Day in 2018.
- Leicester haven't lost their first league game of a calendar year since 2008 (1-3 vs QPR in the Championship), winning seven and drawing four since then. The Foxes have also won five of their last six league games on New Year's Day (D1).
- Newcastle United haven't lost three Premier League games in a row since October 2018 under Rafael Benitez.
- Leicester have won 42 points from their opening 20 Premier League games this season (W13 D3 L4) - two more than they had after 20 games in 2015-16, when they won the league.
- Newcastle have faced 22 shots in each of their last two Premier League games - in their first 18 matches, they were facing 15 shots per game on average.
- 10 of Newcastle's 20 Premier League goals this season have been scored by defenders (50%) - both a league-high total and ratio so far in 2019-20.
- Excluding own goals, only Liverpool (16) have had more different goalscorers than Leicester in the Premier League this season, with Demarai Gray the 12th player to net for the Foxes in their 2-1 win at West Ham last time out.
- Leicester striker Kelechi Iheanacho has been involved in five goals in his last four Premier League appearances (3 goals, 2 assists). Only 31 of the Nigerian's 101 top-flight appearances have been starts, but he has scored 12 goals and assisted seven more in those matches.
Charlie Nicholas' prediction
Newcastle probably deserved something from their match against Everton. Miguel Almiron had two in front of the goal that he sliced high, although he was unlucky in hitting the post. There was enough in Newcastle to say there was more of a threat going forward.
Leicester try to pick teams off in games like this. Jonjo Shelvey must get on the ball and dictate these games.
Andy Carroll and Joelinton were a handful, but Steve Bruce didn't play them as a pair - Almiron's speed behind them with the flying wing-backs made them look dangerous. Leicester will have too much when they are on the ball and can be dangerous from all areas.
CHARLIE PREDICTS: 1-2 (15/2 with Sky Bet)
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