Leicester v Man Utd: Back a Vardy party at the King Power

Leicester looking to kick-start season

The international break may have given Brendan Rodgers time to regroup and figure out why his Leicester side are struggling this season, with just two wins so far but no wins in four leading up to the interval.

Rodgers has been heavily backed to become the next Newcastle manager under their new regime, but for now he has to focus on turning around an alarming slump at Leicester.

Consecutive 2-2 draws against Burnley and Crystal Palace were a big disappointment – especially after being 2-0 up at Selhurst Park – and it’s that defensive vulnerability that is the big concern as they’ve now conceded twice in three straight league games.

Jamie Vardy is doing his part with his six goals and an assist so far, but now Rodgers needs to tighten up at the back against Cristiano Ronaldo, fresh off another international hat-trick, and Man Utd’s other attacking weapons.

Leicester have beaten Man Utd in their last two meetings though and are looking to make it three in a row for the first time in 120 years.

Can Man Utd keep up away run?

Man Utd remain on their incredible record 30-game unbeaten away run (W19 D10) in the league, conceding just seven goals in the last 15 of those and sit just two points off leaders Chelsea after seven games.

Yet you’d be fooled though into thinking they’re struggling judging on the continued doubts being cast over Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after a draw and defeat in their last two league games – both at Old Trafford – against Everton and Aston Villa.

Ronaldo’s arrival has been a huge boost, but it’s also zoomed the microscope in even further on every move Solskjaer makes. Bruno Fernandes misses a late penalty against Villa – it’s Solskjaer’s fault for not putting Ronaldo on pens…

He then had the audacity to start the 36-year-old on the bench against Everton and the Portuguese star hardly helped matters with his stroppy exit from the pitch after the draw. Solskjaer needs to keep a lid on those kinds of actions before they get out of hand.

Ronaldo will start at the King Power though, and Marcus Rashford could join him after recovering from his shoulder injury while Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard and Eric Bailly are all back in training after the international break. Raphael Varane is out though and Harry Maguire is a doubt to face his former team.

United favourites but Foxes have a chance

Man Utd go into this game as 2.26/5 favourites, which is no surprise given they’re the away day masters while Leicester, who are 3.613/5, are struggling a bit for form. It’s 3.711/4 that Leicester play out a third straight draw.

The Red Devils have only one defeat in their 15 trips to Leicester in the Premier League (W9 D5), but Rodgers at least has a winning record against Solskjaer as he’s gone W3 D1 L2 in his meetings with the Norwegian.

Rodgers’ sides have never kept a clean sheet against a Solksjaer team though, and Leicester have managed just one shutout in their last 13 in the league so United will fancy their chances of scoring, but so will Leicester with Varane and possibly Maguire out so the 1.865/6 on both teams to score is almost mandatory in this one.

Leicester do have a chance here, as United have to lose away from home some time don’t they? And more than just the law of averages, the Foxes have just the weapons to trouble a visiting defence without Varane and Maguire – with Vardy, Kelechi Iheanacho and Harvey Barnes particularly dangerous.

United haven’t exactly been great on the road this season either, with an unconvincing draw at Southampton followed by an unconvincing win at Wolves with a fortunate winner – while that win at West Ham came after a late Lingard strike and missed Mark Noble penalty.

You’re a brave soul to back United to lose an away game after all this time but this might be the time that bravery is rewarded.

Well-rested Vardy ready for a party

Ronaldo is around Evens to score here and will attract huge support especially after his international exploits, while if Solskjaer’s a fan of stats he’d do well to give Lingard plenty of playing time as he’s got three goals and three assists in his last six against Leicester – who are his favourite opponent in the league for goal involvements.

With the most assists in the league coming from Pogba, the most chances created by Fernandes and most chances created from set plays coming from Luke Shaw, United have goals running through the team.

Vardy has scored in four of his last five league games though and after a good rest over the international break he’ll be hard for a re-jigged United centre of defence to keep out, so at 2.447/5 he’d be the pick of the bunch from the anytime goalscorer market.

Barnes is a player who could cause United problems even though he’s not been at his best this season – he looked a bit more like it against Palace with an assist there and the 7.513/2 on him to register another assist in this one looks a decent price to put on the shortlist.

This game could really go either way, and although there’s a sneaking suspicion that Leicester could pinch it, preference would go to it ending in a score draw with plenty of action in from both sides.

To that end, a nice looking bet is the subject of an OddsBoost on the Sportsbook for our two main protagonists Vardy and Ronaldo to have 2+ shots on target during the contest.

Ronaldo’s managed that – and much more – in six of his eight competitive games this season, while Vardy has had four such games but is fancied to get a decent bit of joy in this game and regardless of the result should have a big day.