Manchester United have not lost an away game in the Premier League since January 2020, a 2-0 loss to Liverpool. Leicester City meanwhile are failing to hit the heights of past few seasons, trailing last season’s points tally after 7 games by 7 points. So when Leicester host Manchester United this Saturday, perhaps it would be safer to put your money on an away win or a draw.
However, make any prediction in this league at your own peril, and that’s what I’m doing. In 2014, when Leicester were minnows, they had their finest Premier League hour until then when they beat Man Utd 5-3. Since then, the Foxes had failed to beat United in 13 attempts in all competitions. But that has changed in recent meetings. Man Utd failed to beat Leicester in any of their three meetings last season, losing two of them.
En route to their historic FA Cup triumph, Brendan Rodgers’s Foxes dumped Man Utd out in the quarterfinals. A few weeks later, the two sides met at Old Trafford and again, it was Leicester who came out on top. Leicester have won the last two meetings and will be full of confidence ahead of this game.
While Leicester may be struggling, Manchester United’s recent struggles have also been well documented. Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s men have one win in four, and that came via a 90+5′ goal by Cristiano Ronaldo. United have gone four years without a trophy and pressure is mounting on the shoulders of Ole.
The past two seasons have shown how far Leicester have come under Brendan Rodgers. Such are the standards of the club that two consecutive fifth placed finishes are seen as disappointment. They are struggling this season, and perhaps a big occasion like the one this weekend could be exactly what they need. Often big games like this turn out to be the turning points in a club’s season.
Why are Leicester City struggling this season?
Leicester City have been on an upward trajectory since Brendan Rodgers came. They sent shock waves across the world after beating Southampton 9-0. That season they were closer to the top two than the rest. However an end of season slump ended in them missing out on the coveted Champions League spot. After spending majority of the season in top-four, it was disappointment for them when they missed out.
Next season, they came back stronger, when you thought last season’s hangover might linger. Another statement win, at Man City, proved what they’re made of. After spending another season largely in the top-four, they again missed out on the final day. But they did end a 52-year wait for the prestigious FA Cup, beating eventual European champions Chelsea in the final.
But the disappointment of missing out on Champions League twice, after coming agonisingly close on both occasions, maybe seems to be having the carry-on effect at last. Breaking into the top-four is getting increasingly difficult with the amount of money the elite clubs are spending. But Leicester have themselves spent some cash this summer, indicating their desires and ambition.
However, failure to meet their targets for two years now when they feel they could have done it clearly takes its toll mentally. The feeling of having come so close, and then to do it all over again is hard to overcome. That’s perhaps what’s going on with the players, not to mention the taxing Thursday night games they have to contend with.
The north London teams maybe on a decline, and if any team is there to replace them in this country’s top table, it is Leicester City. They have done enough to prove that in the past two seasons. Their squad is a cohesive unit of quality players who have been playing together for years now. They may be going through a slump, but that doesn’t mean they are on a decline. Every good team goes through such a phase and at the moment it’s Leicester’s turn.