Hull v Leicester: Foxes to cruise past tame Tigers in season opener
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The joy of promotion hasn’t lasted long for Hull City, and the Tigers are heading for a very long season battling against relegation, starting with the unenviable task of hosting the reigning Premier League champions.
The Tigers head into the new campaign without Steve Bruce, who quit last month, and without a replacement, having failed to appoint one.
If the dugout situation spelled trouble, the Yorkshire club have just 13 fit senior players, and that includes two goalkeepers.
All told, Hull are in dire straights before the season has even begun.
For Leicester however, things are ticking along quite nicely, and Claudio Ranieri will begin the Foxes’ title defence with largely the same squad which so wonderfully won last year’s title.
Only N’Golo Kante has departed, and Jamie Vardy showed he’s lost none of his sharpness with a goal in the Community Shield defeat to Manchester United last Sunday.
Pre-season results haven’t been spectacular, but having added a host of savvy signings, including Nampalys Mendy and Ahmed Musa, the east midlands side are arguably better equipped than 12 months ago.
With that in mind, the Foxes look a sure thing for three points at 10/11, with a draw 5/2 and a home win 7/2.
Having secured their title on the back of numerous 1-0 wins, it’s 5/1 Leicester win by the single goal once again.
And who else is going to get that goal? Vardy and a 1-0 Leicester win is 16/1.
The England international is 4/1 to score the first goal of the new season, with Musa second in the betting at 11/2.
Hull’s best hopes hinge on Abel Hernandez. The Uruguayan fired in a stunning 20 goals last term, and is 6/1 to score first in the lunch-time game, as is last year’s Premier League star Riyad Mahrez.
If you think Hull’s woeful pre-season will manifest itself here however, it’s 13/5 for Leicester on the -1 handicap, and 15/2 if you fancy backing the Foxes -2.
A slip-up can never be ruled out on the opening day, but Leicester have all the tools they need to begin their title defence in a successful manner.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
