West Ham vs Leicester preview: Marc Alrighton ready to feature for visitors

West Ham host Leicester at the London Stadium on Saturday afternoon with the visitors set to welcome back Marc Albrighton to the matchday squad.

After initial fears Albrighton could miss the rest of the season with a hamstring injury, the experienced midfielder made a cameo appearance in Leicester's 1-0 defeat to Newcastle.

Brendan Rodgers appeared confident he could play some part in Saturday's game with West Ham at the London Stadium, possibly from the start.

"We will see. I don't think he is ready for 90 minutes so it depends whether he starts and plays 65 or comes into the game. Another week or so on in his fitness and he looks good in training.

"It's great to have him and his qualities back in the squad. He's a player I've always admired."

West Ham host the Foxes having lost three successive matches, winning just two of the past seven.

Hammers boss Pellegrini, though, feels it has overall been a solid season of progress from some of their previous struggles - and one which could yet end with the club in the top 10.

"Having so many important players injured for so long is not easy, but always, I feel we can do it better. There are a lot of results that we could have improved. Maybe for this season, it is OK."

Team news

Forward Marko Arnautovic has recovered from the illness which saw him miss last weekend's 2-1 defeat at Manchester United.

Pellegrini has revealed that midfielder Jack Wilshere could make a return to first-team action this weekend.

Manuel Lanzini and Samir Nasri have been ruled out through injury, while Javier Hernandez has been unable to train this week due to an ear problem.

Albrighton's return to fitness has given Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers a welcome selection dilemma.

Rodgers thinks he is able to start but is not capable of playing the full 90 minutes. The Foxes have no new injury issues, with Daniel Amartey (ankle) still out and Matty James lacking fitness.

Opta stats

West Ham have only managed one victory in their last nine encounters with Leicester in all competitions (W1 D3 L5), a 2-0 away win in May 2018.
Leicester have won two of their last three league trips to West Ham (D1), as many as their previous 29 visits (W2 D6 L21).
West Ham have scored in 22 of their last 23 home league games against Leicester City (W17 D3 L3), only failing to score in a 1-0 defeat at the Boleyn Ground in August 2000.
Since winning 3-2 at West Ham in March 2017, Leicester have won just one of their last 12 Premier League games in London (D4 L7), winning 1-0 at Chelsea earlier this season.
West Ham have lost their last three Premier League games, last losing four in a row in their opening four matches under Manuel Pellegrini this season.
West Ham have only lost one of their last seven home league games (W4 D2), though it was against Everton in their last match at the London Stadium.
West Ham have picked up just four points from their last 27 available against sides starting the day in the top half of the table (W1 D1 L7), with the Hammers scoring just three goals in that run.
Leicester are looking to win three consecutive Premier League away games for the first time since April 2016.
West Ham's top league scorer this season Felipe Anderson is looking to score in consecutive Premier League games for the first time since November.
Leicester's Marc Albrighton has been directly involved in five Premier League goals against West Ham (1 goal, 4 assists) - against no side has been involved in more. He's either scored or assisted a goal in all three of his top-flight away games against the Hammers.

Merson's prediction

It is very tight up there competing for seventh. If Leicester are serious about snatching seventh spot they really have to win this game. They have a lot of difficult games coming up.

West Ham will have to come out and have a go at Leicester and that is not what you really want to be doing. You look at Leicester's results, when teams come out and have a go at them, they can then hurt their opponents on the counter with [Jamie] Vardy, [James] Maddison, [Demarai] Gray.

If teams come and sit back like Newcastle did, they just find it too difficult to break teams down. West Ham, though, will have a go.

PAUL PREDICTS: 1-3

West Ham United 2

Leicester City 2