Favourable fixtures to see Leicester City bounce back
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Leicester City held the longest unbeaten run in this season’s Premier League, but that came crashing down on Saturday afternoon to a rampant Arsenal.
The 5-2 defeat at home to the Gunners brought an end to the last remaining undefeated spell in the top tier, and the Foxes’ bright start to the season now reads a rather more sombre one win in five games.
Claudio Ranieri’s men needn’t get too downhearted however.
The east Midlands club have lost only two of their last 16 leagues games – the other loss at the hands of last season’s all-conquering Chelsea – and they have a particularly favourable run of fixtures on the horizon.
They head east to Norwich this Saturday, before a trip to Southampton after the international break.
The Foxes then welcome Crystal Palace to the King Power before trips to West Brom and Watford sandwich a home tie with crisis club Newcastle.
As the table currently stands, only Palace of those upcoming opponents reside in the top eight.
That run of matches takes the Foxes through to the end of November, and there’s a strong chance Ranieri’s tinkering ways will ensure Leicester maintain their position in the top half.
The Foxes are still over evens 6/4 with Ladbrokes to claim a top half finish this season, something they haven’t achieved since Martin O’Neill lead them to an eighth placed spot in 1999-00.
Despite the strong start, the bookies still fancy Leicester to suffer a slump, and they’re 1/2 to finish in the bottom 10.
Those who fancy Leicester for Newcastle-esque run to end the season in the top six can back the side at 14/1.
Leicester fans are also sure to be enjoying seeing their team rule the roost in the Midlands.
Even with that eighth-placed finish 15 years ago, Aston Villa came sixth that season to claim the local bragging rights.
However the Villans find themselves in the relegation zone this term, one place below fellow Midlanders Stoke who have suffered a similarly slow start.
Completing this little group are West Brom, who are Leicester’s nearest competitors but a solid four points down the table.
The Foxes are 3/4 to finish the campaign as Top Midlands Club, and with the potential for a big haul of points coming up, that price is sure to shorten.
