Premier League Preview - Leicester City
Fresh from winning the Community shield, can the Foxes break into the top four at the third time of asking?
What to Expect?
After going so close to securing Champions League football, will it be a case of being third time a charm for Leicester City? The Foxes are on the up after winning the FA Cup and Community Shield and will be looking to take some promising pre-season form into their opening game against Crystal Palace.
They certainly have the form and playing staff to make Champions League football this season, but with top-four rivals strengthening significantly this could be a tough ask for the Foxes. One note of concern for Brendan Rodgers will be the leg break suffered by promising defender Wesley Fofana which leaves his side short of options defensively.
Players to watch
Leicester has usually been spot on with their transfer business in recent years so expect big things from Patson Daka and Boubakary Soumaré. Zambian international Daka grabbed 27 goals in 28 league appearances for RB Salzburg last season, whilst commanding defender Soumaré was a mainstay in the Lille side that stormed to the Ligue 1 title.
Expect a few months of bedding in for the pair for making a major impact to the squad during the climax of the Premier League season.
Predicted Finish – 6th
Everything seems to be going so well at Leicester at the moment, but we are predicting a third season of falling short in the race for Champions League football. At 35, Jamie Vardy is no spring chicken, and the burden of leading the line for the Foxes could be too much to bear this season.
The untimely injury of Wesley Fofana on the eve of the season is a major blow and it will be interesting to see how the former Premier League champions can adapt in the short to medium term to cover the loss.
