Leicester City vs Arsenal : Where to Watch & What to look forward to
Where to Watch
The Arsenal Kerala Supporters Club has organized official match screenings at CopaMocha, East Fort Thrissur and ChaiCofi , Kaloor, Kochi.
For more information regarding the screenings, fans in and around Thrissur can reach out to the organizers at 9995 203 321 / 9846 404 768 and supporters in Kochi can contact organizers at 9895 827 074.
What to look forward to
The Gunners will be looking to bounce back from their opening-weekend 4-3 loss to Liverpool when they visit the champions on Saturday evening, having failed to strengthen their injury-blighted squad.
Arsene Wenger has once again been criticised for his lack for transfer activity with a deal yet to be reached with Valencia central-defender Shkodran Mustafi, but fans are still hopeful the club will get the necessary business done.
Soccer Saturday Pundit Charlie Nicholas was quoted saying
“Yes the pressure is on Arsenal more than Leicester but failing to win the first two games is not dramatic. It’s not time to panic. Arsenal are doing what they always do, waiting. They wait, wait, wait in the transfer market and then play catch up. This happens every season. I look at Wenger and I think that he hates the transfer market but that just adds to the point of getting business done early. I have been a strong supporter of Wenger’s philosophy since he came in but the transfer market has moved on so much in the last five years.”
Nicholas believes that securing Mustafi and Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette will put the Gunners back in a strong position, with Laurent Koscielny, Mesut Ozil and Olivier Giroud poised to return to action.
He added:
“Wenger just needs to apply the finishing touches to his squad because he’s done the hard work.
If he gets Mustafi and Lacazette for £70m then he might not have to buy big again for two to three years, which would put them in a stunning position.”
Team News
Robert Huth returns to the Leicester squad to face Arsenal on Saturday after completing his three-match ban.
Jeff Schlupp remains available despite interest from West Brom.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admits he may have to “gamble” on the fitness of Laurent Koscielny, Mesut Ozil and Olivier Giroud, who all started pre-season late after Euro 2016. Aaron Ramsey and Alex Iwobi both face three weeks out because of respective hamstring and thigh injuries.
MATCH HISTORY
Head-to-head
Leicester City are on a 19-match winless run against Arsenal in the Premier League (D6, L13) and lost both games last season.
Leicester’s only victory in the last 31 league and cup meetings came at home in the first Premier League fixture between the sides in November 1994.
Arsenal have only failed to score in one of the 27 most recent league encounters, when the sides drew 0-0 in January 2001.
Leicester City
Leicester City are the first reigning top-flight champions to lose their opening game since Arsenal in 1989. No defending champion has begun the following season with successive defeats since Aston Villa in 1981.
The Foxes have scored a league-high 11 penalties since the start of 2015-16.
Leicester have played four Premier League games without Robert Huth in their starting XI over the last year and have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of them.
Claudio Ranieri’s next Premier League win will be his 100th in the competition.
Arsenal
Arsenal haven’t lost their opening two league games since the inaugural Premier League season in 1992-93.
The Gunners conceded four goals at home in the league last weekend for the first time since May 2009, and only the third time in total.
Defeat by Liverpool ended Arsenal’s 10-match unbeaten run.
Alexis Sanchez has scored four goals in his two previous league games at the King Power Stadium.
