Leicester City Vs Sunderland Official Sunderland Not606 Match Thread please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Match Apointments please log in to view this image Preview Sunderland’s draw with Everton last time out, combined with Leicester’s 2-0 defeat at Southampton, saw the Black Cats move three points clear of the Foxes, who slipped into the bottom three. A tally of eight points from the opening five games saw Leicester in seventh position in the latter stages of September, but the Foxes have endured a run of six games without a win, including five defeats. City have been held goalless since a 2-2 draw with Burnley on October 4 and were defeated 1-0 by West Brom in their previous home outing. Sunderland, who will make their first visit to Leicester since January 2007, are looking to continue their upward curve after following a first away league win of the season at Crystal Palace with a 1-1 draw at Everton before the international break. The Black Cats have won on each of their previous two league visits to the King Power Stadium (2-1 in January 2007 and 1-0 in November 2004). Saturday’s game will be just the ninth between the sides since the turn of the century, and 83rd all-time. Leicester lead the overall tally by the slimmest of margins with 32 wins to Sunderland’s 30, while a further 20 games have been drawn. Sunderland will again be backed by a sell-out away following, with the club’s allocation of around 3,200 tickets being snapped up by the end of October. Leicester Team News Leicester are set to be without defenders Matthew Upson (foot) and Zoumana Bakayogo (knee), while midfielder Dean Hammond (calf) is also unavailable. Sunderland Team News Gus Poyet has been boosted by good news on the injury front as he prepares his side for the trip to Leicester. Sunderland were given a major shot in the arm when Poyet confirmed Steven Fletcher’s return to training in an interview with safc.com on Wednesday. The striker was injured on international duty and missed Scotland’s defeat to England, but has now recovered from the knock and will be included in the squad. Meanwhile Ricky Alvarez and Sebastian Coates are also back in action and are working towards full fitness. However, it’s not known if the two will be ready to feature this weekend. Emanuele Giaccherini and Billy Jones are also progressing well but won’t be ready to face the Foxes this weekend, while Patrick van Aanholt remains sidelined after shoulder surgery. Gus Poyets biggest decission will be whether to recall Lee Cattermole, who's just served a one match suspension for accumulating 5 yellow cards, or continue with Liam Bridcutt, who give his best performance in a Sunderland shirt against Everton. Key Men please log in to view this image Leicester-Leonardo Ulloa If Leicester City want to pick up 3 points at the weekend they need a resurgence from their record signing to his early season form. The Argentine big man burst to life in the early weeks of the Premier League season 5 goals in as many appearances for the Foxes. This included his brace against Man United in the famous 5-3 game. Since then Ulloa’s goals have dried up and as a result so have Leicesters. The side have only netted twice since the United game and Ulloa has now went 6 games without hitting the back of the net in the league. In a game that Nigel Pearson will be hoping to turn his sides season around the clubs record signing will need to show why the club were willing to splash the cash to acquire him in the summer. Playing against a Sunderland side that have failed to keep a clean sheet since the last weekend of September is as good a time as any for Ulloa to end his goal drought. It’s a game that has a look of not many goals given the two sides struggles in the final third this season, it could come down to a few chances and if the big man can find his finish again it could swing the balance in the home teams favour. Sunderland– Steven Fletcher It’s the Leicester striker’s opposite number who will be key for the away side. Gus Poyet gave Sunderland a massive boost when he announced the Scottish striker was going to be fit for the game, after a knock sustained against the Republic of Ireland on international duty suggested he might not make the weekend game. For much the same reason as Ulloa is key to Leicester, this game could come down to few chances and Sunderland will need their best goalscoring option leading the line to take any that come their way. Other than Fletcher only Seb Larsson has scored multiple goals in the league this season, it would be no surprise that Fletcher will again shoulder the goalscoring burden this weekend. Fletcher’s time with Sunderland has been disjointed due to unfortunate injuries, but when he is fit he has proven himself to be a Premier League level striker capable of getting important goals. There is much more to the Scotsman’s game than just goals however, his ability to hold and link up play from the midfield is key to any good Sunderland performance. If Sunderland are going to pick up the 3 points that are for the taking at the King Power Stadium they will be looking to their record signing to lead by example from the front. Stats & Facts Head-to-head This is their first meeting since New Year's Day 2007, when Sunderland won 2-0 at Leicester in the Championship. Sunderland have won four of the last five league meetings, with the other game drawn. However, Leicester are unbeaten in eight top-flight home matches against the Black Cats since a 2-0 defeat 30 years ago. Leicester Leicester have only earned one point from their last six matches, four of which have been away fixtures. Their only goals during that run came in the 2-2 home draw with Burnley. They could go five top-flight matches in a row without scoring for the first time since December 1980 to January 1981. The Foxes have not suffered five successive league defeats since a six-match losing streak between December 2005 and January 2006 in the Championship. Excluding blocked shots, Nigel Pearson's side have attempted fewer shots (75) than any other team in the top flight this season. They did not register a single shot on target in the defeat at Southampton last time out. They have only kept one clean sheet, fewer than any other Premier League side. Sunderland Sunderland have won just two of their last 12 Premier League matches (W2, D6, L4). Their 3-1 win at Selhurst Park earlier this month ended a run of three away league games without scoring. The Black Cats have not kept a clean sheet in their last five league matches. Sebastian Larsson could make his 300th English league appearance. Sunderland last kept a clean sheet away from home 3 games ago. The last 20 Sunderland away matches have produced an average of 2.85 goals per game. In their last 20 away matches against teams positioned in the bottom half of the table, Sunderland have scored 1.1 goals per game and conceded 1.7 goals per game on average. Head to Head please log in to view this image Form please log in to view this image Betting http://www.oddschecker.com/football/english/premier-league/leicester-v-sunderland/winner Links http://www.lcfc.com/club/directions/ Streaming http://www.wiziwig.tv/broadcast.php?matchid=285319&part=sports
We've never played at the Walkers? Our last game down there we had 100% possession yet still lost. **** me, thats impressive even by our standards.
The last corresponding fixture was correct on the site yesterday. They must have tinkered with it. If they correct it I'll re add it.
**** me, I'll be pleased the game after this one when that 8-0 at Soton disappears off our "current form" list.
I think now he might shoe horn Cattermole in at the expense of Gomez knowing that 1 goal could be enough against a team struggling to score. Think Gus may go ----------------Pantilimon---------------- Vergini-----Oshea------Brown---Réveillère -------Bridcutt-Cattermole-Larsson------- Buckley---------Fletcher---------Wickham If we go behind or it's level late on id expect Gomez Johnson and maybe Alvarez from the bench
I'm properly buzzing for today. My last away win I think was QPR 3-2 Xmas 2011! Wes, Bendtner and Sess. Seen a series of draws since then Fancy a win, Fletch to continue scoring streak
nervous about today, have a feeling we're gonna sit back against them which is a big mistake. Need to attack attack attack, give them no time on the ball.
Had a message through from Supporters Club advising us to get there early cos you are bringing down 20+ coaches. For those who are making the trip down, have a good day, abuse our drummer, and hope that we dont play wingers against you. Had some good times in Sunderland, staying at the Roker Hotel on the front. Looking forward to the game, going to be a close one.
Nipped over to their board and they all seem to think 442 with Vardy and Ulloa up top. If Gomez plays he'd pretty much have free range in between their 2 banks of 4 :-/ decisions decisions Gus.
They play 4 in the middle, litrally. They've been playing 4 cm's So with that in mind I'd go Pants Vergini--------O'Shea--------Brown---------Réveillère Catts Larsson---------Bridcutt Johnson--------Fletch---------Buckley Those three cm's can deal with their 4 as they all have a fantastic defensive work ethic, Have our fullbacks piling forward with inside options from AJ and Buckley. Stretch them and exploit the flanks.
Leicester: Schmeichel, De Laet, Morgan, Wasilewski, Konchesky, Schlupp, Cambiasso, James, Mahrez, Vardy, Ulloa. Subs: Hamer, Drinkwater, King, Moore, Knockaert, Nugent, Wood. Sunderland: Pantilimon, O’Shea, Brown, Vergini, Reveillere, Cattermole, Gomez, Larsson, Wickham, Johnson, Fletcher. Subs: Mannone, Bridcutt, Rodwell, Altidore, Coates, Buckley, Robson.
