The Matchday 21 clash in the Premier League between Leicester and Crystal Palace will take place on January 15 at the King Power Stadium. Leicester vs. Crystal Palace: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Predicted lineups for Leicester vs. Crystal Palace
Leicester (4-2-3-1): Jakub Stolarczyk – Jannik Vestergaard, Conor Coady, Luke Thomas, James Justin – Harry Winks, Boubakary Soumare – Stephy Mavididi, Bilal El Khannous, Jordan Ayew – Jamie Vardy.
Crystal Palace (3-4-2-1): Dean Henderson – Chris Richards, Maxence Lacroix, Marc Guehi – Daniel Munoz, Cheick Doucoure, Jefferson Lerma, Tyrick Mitchell – Ismaila Sarr, Eberechi Eze – Jean-Philippe Mateta.
Each team's starting lineup from their last match in this tournament is listed.
Leicester
Ruud van Nistelrooy's side began the year with an away defeat to Aston Villa (1-2). This loss marked their fifth consecutive defeat in the league, with a goal difference of 2:14 in this streak. Notably, Leicester has not experienced such a losing streak in the Premier League since September 2022. The team is in the relegation zone and has one of the worst defenses in the league, having conceded 44 goals (only Wolves have conceded more, with 45 goals).
Midfielders Abdul Issahaku and Wilfred Ndidi, defender Ricardo Pereira, and goalkeeper Mads Hermansen will miss the game due to injuries. The club also made their first transfer, bringing in defender Voyo Koulibaly from Parma.
- Both teams scored in 16 of Leicester's last 21 Premier League matches.
- At least three goals were scored in 9 of the club's last 10 league games.
- One of the teams won with a "clean sheet" in the first half in 11 of Leicester's last 12 Premier League matches.
Crystal Palace
In the last round, the team secured a draw at home against Chelsea (1-1). Before that, they defeated Southampton (2-1) and drew with Bournemouth (0-0) at home. It is also worth noting that Oliver Glasner's side has suffered only one defeat (to Arsenal, 1-5) in their last nine Premier League matches (3 wins and 5 draws). The club is in 15th place, five points clear of the nearest relegation rival.
- The number "1" has appeared in the final score in 6 of Crystal Palace's last 8 Premier League games.
- The club has not lost in the first half of their last seven away matches (3 wins and 4 draws).
- In their last nine away Premier League matches, the Londoners have secured only two wins (4 draws and 3 defeats).
Leicester vs. Crystal Palace: Match Prediction
Leicester is in a difficult situation. In addition to being in the bottom three, they face potential points deductions for breaching Premier League financial rules. Therefore, if the club wants to retain its place in England's top division, they need to accumulate as many points as possible in the second half of the season, especially in matches against teams from the lower half of the standings.
Crystal Palace has played nine away matches in the league this season, winning only against Ipswich and Brighton (with 4 draws and 3 losses). It's also worth mentioning that the Londoners have failed to win 18 of their last 22 away Premier League games (9 draws and 9 defeats). Additionally, Leicester has a decent record against this opponent in the Premier League, with only one defeat in their last nine head-to-head meetings (4 wins and 4 draws).
My prediction: Crystal Palace to win or draw
