Leicester City vs Norwich City preview, predictions & possible XIs
Leicester City can extend their winning run in the Premier League to nine games if they beat Norwich City on Saturday.
Brendan Rodgers’ side have been excellent this season and currently sit second in the table, six points clear of third-placed Manchester City.
Their sights are firmly set on a Champions League spot and they will expect to continue their quest against Norwich. The Canaries are currently 19th in the Premier League and have won just one game since September, also losing their past two.
Read on for our Leicester v Norwich preview, predictions, team news, TV coverage information and more.
When is Leicester vs Norwich and where can I watch live?
Competition: Premier League
Venue: King Power Stadium
Date: Saturday, 14 December 2019
Kick-off: 3:00 PM (UK time)
TV coverage (UK): N/A
Last five meetings: Leicester vs Norwich
27 February 2016: Leicester 1-0 Norwich (Premier League)
03 October 2015: Norwich 1-2 Leicester (Premier League)
18 February 2012: Norwich 1-2 Leicester (FA Cup)
08 March 2011: Leicester 2-3 Norwich (Championship)
28 September 2010: Norwich 4-3 Leicester (Championship)
Aggregate Score: Leicester (WWWLL) 10-9 Norwich (LLLWW)
Ones to watch
Leicester: James Maddison
Saturday’s game will see James Maddison face Norwich for the first time since leaving the Canaries in 2018, signing for Leicester.
The 23-year-old spent 18 months as part of the Norwich first team after initially joining in 2016, helping them in the Championship. It wasn’t the best end for Maddison at Norwich as he suffered a knee ligament injury in his final appearance, which looked like it had scuppered a big move.
“It was the darkest place I have been in football,” he told the Eastern Daily Press. “I was in tears in the changing room while the game was still going on.
“If you knew how I felt on that last day. As soon as I stood up I knew something wasn’t right. My knee was almost wobbly and I was putting it on the floor but not really feeling any weight through it.”
But Leicester took the risk on an injured player and have been truly rewarded this season as the Englishman is thriving under Rodgers with only Jamie Vardy, understandably, being directly involved in more Premier League goals than Maddison for the Foxes.
Key stat: James Maddison (37) has created more chances than any other Leicester City player in the Premier League this season.
Norwich: Emiliano Buendia
Emiliano Buendia started life in the Premier League brilliantly, recording four assists in his opening five matches. But then things quietened down for the Argentinian.
They quietened down so much that Buendia was dropped from the starting XI for three games recently, only just earning his spot back against Sheffield United. He will be hoping for another start this weekend as Norwich will be looking to cut through a stern Leicester defence.
Despite not setting up a goal since mid-September, Buendia still leads the way for Norwich, with one more assist than Teemu Pukki.
Key stat: Emiliano Buendia (36) has created more chances than any other Norwich City player in the Premier League this season.
Team news
Leicester
Rodgers is fortunate to have no fresh injury problems, meaning he can name a full strength side to face Norwich this weekend.
Ben Chilwell should continue at left-back after recovering from injury to face Aston Villa last weekend while Jamie Vardy will be looking to score for the ninth consecutive game.
Predicted XI: Schmeichel; Pereira, Soyuncu, Evans, Chilwell; Tielemans, Ndidi, Praet; Maddison; Vardy, Iheanacho.
Subscribe to Squawka’s Youtube channel here.
Norwich
Norwich also have no fresh injury problems and could see Grant Hanley return from injury, though he is unlikely to feature in the starting XI at least.
Todd Cantwell made a substitute appearance against Sheffield United last week but could return to the starting XI in place of Onel Hernandez, while Tom Trybull may also start.
Predicted XI: Krul; Aarons, Zimmermann, Godfrey, Byram; Trybull, Tettey; Buendia, McLean, Cantwell; Pukki.
Squawka prediction
Things have been going so well for Leicester this season and their winning run shouldn’t stop on Saturday.
The Foxes just have too much quality and will likely pick apart a Norwich side struggling after their own bright start.
Expect Jamie Vardy to score once more, extending Leicester’s gap over Man City who don’t play until Sunday.
Scoreline prediction: Leicester 2-0 Norwich
