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Leicester City vs West Ham United odds and betting statistics
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Leicester City vs West Ham United match preview
7 May 2016: Leicester City hoisted aloft the Premier League trophy following the most unlikely of title wins.
28 May 2023: will this be the date Leicester City suffer one of the most unexpected relegations in modern times?
Having finished fifth, fifth and then eighth in the last three seasons, very few expected the Foxes’ to struggle to this extent this season.
Now though, going into the final day, Leicester are in the relegation zone, knowing even a win might not be enough to save them.
On Monday night, Dean Smith’s side held Newcastle United to a goalless draw at St James’ Park.
Newcastle had 23 shots to Leicester one, which came in the 93rd minute, with Timothy Castagne denied one of the most smash-and-grab winners of all-time.
For Leicester to survive, they must win here and hope Everton do not beat Bournemouth simultaneously; if the game at Goodison ends in a draw, Leicester could stay up by virtue of their slightly superior goal difference.
They do need a favour from elsewhere, but can Leicester hold their end of the bargain by claiming just a ninth league win of a miserable campaign?
While this is set to be a catastrophic season for the home side, it could be the greatest campaign in a generation for West Ham United supporters.
Tens of thousands of happy Hammers will be descending on Prague on 7 June for the Europa Conference League Final, where Italian side Fiorentina will be the opponents.
Should the Irons win that, not only will they end the club’s 43-year wait for major silverware, they’ll qualify for next season’s Europa League, something they’re more than 20 points off achieving via the league.
David Moyes’ men themselves have flirted with relegation at times this season, but a 1-0 win over Manchester United earlier this month belatedly alleviated those concerns.
Last Sunday, in their final home game of an eventful season, West Ham came from a goal down to beat Leeds.
Declan Rice and Jarrod Bowen on target, before Lucas Paquetá’s dancing feet teed-up Manuel Lanzini to cement the points.
Here though, with the club’s first European final since 1976 on the horizon, the players could be forgiven for not giving 100% in this league fixture.
West Ham also have a miserable record at the King Power, winning just two of nine visits there since the pair were reunited in the top flight in 2014.
This game though is all about Leicester City, so will results go their way, or will it be a day of despair in the East Midlands?
Leicester City team news
Dean Smith switched to a very defensive back five at Newcastle on Monday, with Wout Faes and Jonny Evans joined by Harry Souttar at the back, chosen over the departing Çağlar Söyüncü.
This time, in a game his side simply must win, Smith will surely revert to a back four.
Both Harvey Barnes and James Maddison were only on the bench last time out, they did later come on, with the pair surely set to be in the XI this time.
Fit again Kelechi Ịheanachọ could lead the line, chosen over Jamie Vardy, who’s scored just twice this season.
Predicted XI (4-5-1): Iversen; Castagne, Faes, Evans, Thomas; Ndidi, Soumaré, Tielemans, Maddison, Barnes; Ịheanachọ.
West Ham United team news
With the Europa Conference League Final just ten days away, does David Moyes’ give his best XI a game together, or wrap his key players up in bubble wrap?
The latter seems more sensible doesn’t it?
For the Leeds win, coming just three days after victory in Alkmaar, it was a half-and-half approach, with Thilo Kehrer, Aaron Cresswell, Saïd Benrahma, Michail Antonio all on the bench.
Kurt Zouma has been carrying an injury, so is highly unlikely to start this one.
David Moyes did deploy his first-choice midfield, Declan Rice, Lucas Paquetá and Tomáš Souček last Sunday, so could keep that core in tact.
Danny Ings scored a 81st minute winner in his last league appearance against Leicester, coming for Southampton in January 2020.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Fabiański; Johnson, Aguerd, Ogbonna, Emerson; Downes, Souček, Paquetá; Lanzini, Fornals, Ings.
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