Leicester – Arsenal
Our Leicester – Arsenal prediction: Arsenal to win (-1 handicap) – 1.78 odds
- Arsenal won the first leg 4-2
- In the last six duels, the bet would have come in five times
- Leicester lost the last four home games, always by at least two goals
The Premier League clash between Leicester and Arsenal promises to be explosive, albeit for completely different reasons. The home side, coached by Ruud van Nistelrooy, are in 18th place in the table and fighting to avoid relegation, with only two points separating them from the safe places. The latest 2-1 defeat at home to Manchester United was already their fourth home defeat in a row – and it was made all the more bitter by the prospect of Jamie Vardy being out again.
For Arsenal, the situation could hardly be more opposite. The Gunners are in second place, but they too have massive personnel problems in attack. The loss of Kai Havertz for the rest of the season weighs heavily, especially since Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli are also injured. At least Ben White returns to the squad after recovering from a knee injury. Interestingly, Arsenal have not lost in their last 14 league games – a streak that Mikel Arteta would like to extend despite the personnel problems. Find out whether they can maintain this streak in our Leicester – Arsenal betting tip.
Leicester – Arsenal info
- Stadium: King Power Stadium, Leicester
- Date and time: 15/02/2025, 1:30 pm
- Competition: Premier League, Matchday 25
- Broadcast: SKY
Leicester Form & Record Check
Leicester City is in the midst of a worrying crisis of form. With four defeats in their last five games, Ruud van Nistelrooy’s team is slipping deeper and deeper into the relegation battle. The home record is particularly alarming – the last four league home games have all been lost, without the team managing to score a single goal.
Defense is the biggest problem
The recent 2-1 FA Cup defeat to Manchester United showed better approaches at times, but the team still lacks the necessary offensive power. Currently in 18th place in the table, they are only two points behind the Wolves on the safe side, but their defense is a major concern – in their last five games, Leicester have always conceded at least one goal.
The personnel situation is also exacerbated by doubts surrounding Jamie Vardy, whose availability against Arsenal is still uncertain. Without their top scorer, it could be even more difficult for Leicester to collect the points they urgently need in the relegation battle. Van Nistelrooy needs to find solutions quickly to get the team out of this dangerous situation.
Leicester facts & analysis
- Four defeats in their last five games
- Last four home games lost without scoring
- Second-worst defense in the league
Leicester are expected to play in a 4-2-3-1 system. Jamie Vardy is possibly injured and could be replaced by Patson Daka. The expected lineup is: Hermansen, Justin, Faes, Okoli, Thomas, Ndidi, Soumaré, De Cordova-Reid, El Khannouss, Ayew and Daka.
Arsenal Form & Record Check
Arsenal are at a critical stage of their season. Although the team are in a strong second place in the league table with 50 points, recent personnel issues cast a shadow over their previous successes. The loss of Kai Havertz for the rest of the season, as well as the injuries to Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, have severely weakened their offense.
The most recent results show a mixed picture. While an impressive 5-1 win over Manchester City in the Premier League and a convincing performance against Girona (2-1) in the Champions League were followed by a 0-2 defeat in the League Cup against Newcastle, which revealed the current weaknesses in the attacking game. The Gunners must now find creative solutions to maintain their offensive power.
Arsenal have a good squad depth
Interestingly, the team has been surprisingly stable despite the personnel problems – four wins in their last five competitive games speak for themselves. However, the seven-point gap to league leaders Liverpool makes it clear that any slip-up at this stage could be fatal. It will be interesting to see how manager Mikel Arteta reorganizes the offense in the coming weeks.
Arsenal facts & analysis
- 2nd place in the table
- Last game in the League Cup
- Four wins in last five games
Arsenal face an attacking challenge in the upcoming game against Leicester. Injuries to Kai Havertz, Saka, Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus put pressure on coach Arteta to reorganize his offense. Adequately, with Leandro Trossard and Raheem Sterling, there are a limited number of experienced players available. Young Ethan Nwaneri could therefore make his starting lineup debut, while Ben White is highlighted as a positive return to form in defense. The likely formation is seen as a 4-3-3, with Odegaard and Rice central components in midfield.
Leicester v Arsenal head to head & stats
The head to head record is clear, with Arsenal completely dominating Leicester City, winning all five of their last five meetings. Noteworthy is the Gunners’ streak of five consecutive wins, which spans a period of more than three years.
The most recent clash in September 2024 ended with a 4-2 victory for Arsenal. The Londoners also had the upper hand in February 2023, when they won 1-0 away from home. In August 2022, it was already 4-2 to Arsenal, while two more wins (2-0 and 0-2) followed in 2022.
The consistent goal difference is interesting: Arsenal scored in all five games, while Leicester did not score in three of the five games. The Gunners scored an average of 2.6 goals per game.
Arsenal’s dominance in the first half is also striking – in four of five games, they were already in the lead at half-time. Leicester, on the other hand, were not able to take the lead at half-time in any of these matches.
You might think that the King Power Stadium would be a dreaded away ground for Arsenal. But the numbers tell a different story: the Gunners also won both of their away games in Leicester.
