Leicester City v Leeds United: YEP Jury give their big-match predictions

DAVID WATKINS

Leeds played well and looked almost back to our best during the first half at St James’ Park this week but then throughout the second half – that marvellous Jack Harrison goal apart – we looked shaky and uncertain again.

Our passing was wayward and, with a 2-1 lead, our game management was poor such that we offered far too many opportunities to the Toon to get back on terms.

That they didn’t was down to Illan Meslier, poor finishing and sheer good fortune.

The Foxes will be a very different proposition although the pace we saw from Allan Saint-Maximin that almost undid us will be replicated by several in the Leicester side.

The only saving grace is that the quickest of them all, Jamie Vardy, is unlikely to be fit.

Leicester’s draw at Everton sees them sat third in the table, two points adrift of Manchester City at the top and on a decent run of form, unbeaten in nine in all competitions. Much as it hurts to say so, I can’t see past a Leicester victory in this one, but hope springs eternal.

Prediction: Leicester City 3 Leeds United 1.

KEITH INGHAM

Fresh from a 2-1 win at ‘troubled’ Newcastle United, Bielsa’s boys have another away day, this time at Leicester City, lunchtime on Sunday.

And Sunday will offer more of a challenge with Leciester City on the coattails of Manchester City, ‘Manu’ and Liverpool.

Brendan Rodgers has a quality squad and has proven what a good manager he is with great spells at Liverpool and Celtic.

Unfortunately for him, Leeds’ tormentor in their 4-1 win at Elland Road is out for a month because of injury. Jamie Vardy is key to their good form.

Marcelo Bielsa may well have to choose another centre-back pairing as Diego Llorente, who has had horrendous luck with injuries since joining Leeds, limped off in the early minutes of the Newcastle game.

Pascal Struijk, who had a decent game when coming on, will most likely deputise alongside captain Liam Cooper.

I’d love to see Leeds get something out of this game but the way the Foxes counter-attacked earlier in the season doesn’t bode well and I see United on the end of a defeat by a couple of goals. Sorry folks.

The win at St James’ Park was welcome after a couple of under-par performances.

Great displays by Raphinha, Rodrigo and Harrison gave Leeds their first Premier League ‘double’ since the naughties.

The two goals Leeds scored were quality too, Raphinha finishing off a move which involved Bamford and Rodrigo for the first and Harrison’s ulitimate winning goal also had class, the winger putting a beautiful, volleyed shot into Darlow’s net off Raphinha’s delightful, floated pass.

Prediction: Leicester City 3 Leeds United 1.

JACOB STARR

A tough test awaits Leeds on Sunday as the Whites make the journey to title challengers Leicester City, who demolished us 4-1 in the return fixture.

However, this time, the Foxes will be without top scorer Jamie Vardy who is nursing a hernia.

But what makes Brendan Rodgers’ men one of the best sides in the division is the fact that they perform to a consistently high standard no matter the personnel involved.

Vardy terrorised our back-four at Elland Road so, fortunately for us, he won’t be around to terrorise our makeshift backline this time around.

They have quality in abundance, though, which is why I’m looking at this game as another one of the ‘free hits’.

There will be less pressure on United to pick up a result after the hard-fought first win of 2021 which came at Newcastle on Tuesday.

That was a painful experience, but ever so important.

Raphinha and Jack Harrison were on the scoresheet in what was a dogged performance that came at a cost – Diego Llorente hobbling off after eight minutes.

It was his first Premier League start. The poor lad just can’t catch a break.

Are we ever going to play with two first-choice centre-backs ever again?

Prediction: Leicester City 3 Leeds United 1.

ANDY RHODES

In recent years, January has always proved to be a stumbling block for Leeds United.

Wins have eluded the club when they’ve needed them most, but this year the Whites are secure in mid-table and, after the midweek win at Newcastle, the pressure may be off.

When Leeds welcomed Leicester to Elland Road in November, the Foxes ran riot, scoring four times.

However, United have settled since then and we no longer see the high-scoring games of the early season.

Patrick Bamford will be looking to get back among the goals having not scored since mid-December, while Raphinha continues to shine away from home.

We may also see another defensive reshuffle after Diego Llorente limped off at Newcastle.

Leicester are hitting perfect form and are quietly mounting a bid for the Premier League title.

With Jamie Vardy injured, Leeds will have one less thing to worry about, but with Leicester, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

Prediction: Leicester City 2 Leeds United 1.

MIKE GILL

A battling performance against Newcastle saw United add another three points to their haul.

Marvellous displays from Raphinha and Rodrigo sealed the fate of Steve Bruce’s strugglers in a close game.

In the continued absence of our expensive central defenders, it would be good to see Pascal Struijk given an extended run in his more natural role of centre-back as it gives Luke Ayling the ability to get forward down the right flank.

Although Bielsa is fiercely loyal to his players, he never shirks neccessary substitutions and the removal of Alioski and Bamford proved to be timely against the Magpies.

Leicester will present a tougher challenge than Newcastle even without Jamie Vardy. On Wednesday night, Everton took an early lead and then sat back and allowed the Foxes to throw everything at them.

Although Leicester eventually equalised, they could not find a winner.

Although we may have to put this one down as one of our inevitable defeats, I’m going for a hard-fought draw.

Prediction: Leicester City 2 Leeds United 2.

MATTHEW EVANS

It was so nice to win a game in the manner we did, putting Newcastle to the sword on Tuesday evening.

We’re so used to either dominating a game or being thrashed that you forget we can grind out a win when we need to.

That result sets us up nicely for a run of games against teams who probably should beat us but, for some of them at least, almost certainly won’t.

I’d like to see us show something at home to Crystal Palace after the sourness of the away game, but the rest feel like we’ve got nothing to lose.

Leicester did a job on us at Elland Road, despite some good moments from a patched up United side, and our lads should be wanting a bit of revenge.

There’s no doubt it’ll be a tough game, away at a side that is flying high with an outside chance of maybe even winning a second unlikely Premier League title.

The loss of Llorente and how fragile we looked in the second half at St James’ Park doesn’t fill me with confidence and I can’t look past a Leicester win, albeit with a valiant effort from us.

Prediction: Leicester City 3 Leeds United 1.

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