The managerial bounce with the appointment of Ruud van Nistelrooy didn't pay off for the Leicester City squad as they suffered a heavy defeat against Brentford (1:4). West Ham United are in a similar position after Arsenal put five past them (2:5). Both teams need to wipe away the embarrassment in this fixture. Leicester City, in particular, must catch up with West Ham United;
Leicester City trail just two places behind the London side but are five points adrift. Under the Dutchman, they continue their five-match winless run, during which the team conceded more than twice in three encounters, and only one match saw a total under 2.5. Brentford settled the victor question within an hour as all goals were let in from open play due to Leicester City's failure to manage transitions, neither creating offside traps nor winning back possession. Their solo goal came from a similar counter-attack, thanks to Jamie Vardy, who, already on the ground, made a pass.
Arsenal didn't just crush West Ham United in the London derby but did so entirely in the first half, establishing a 2:5 lead after 45+5 minutes. Three of the five goals West Ham let in were from free kicks and corners: two came from penalties—a feat in itself—and one from a corner. One of Arsenal’s two goals from open play showcased the incredible negligence of West Ham's players. Six of them in the penalty box had their eyes on the player with the ball, neglecting Leandro Trossard behind them. By the time Bukayo Saka passed to the Belgian, it was too late to react. Yet, West Ham United did display their own free kicks and corners threat to Leicester City as Emerson Palmieri scored with a direct free kick.
In summary, these two fragile defences will face each other, and it is highly advisable to bet on a total over 2.5, not due to stellar attacking play but because of their issues at the back.
