MY ACCOUNT
Two managers under severe pressure will be in opposite dugouts for Aston Villa’s Premier League clash with Leicester on Saturday.
Steven Gerrard and Brendan Rodgers have an intriguing shared history from their time together at Liverpool and on opposite sides of the Old Firm divide, but desperation for all three points will be common to them both this weekend.
Villa lie in 17th place on four points — a meagre return for the amount of backing Gerrard has received in the last two transfer windows.
Last Saturday’s draw against Manchester City brought some positives to build on, although scoring goals remains an issue at the moment.
Leicester are leaking goals like never before under Rodgers’ watch, but the ex-Celtic boss can at least now integrate his solitary summer purchase into a rock-bottom Foxes side badly in need of a lift.
Leicester vs Aston Villa (Saturday, 3pm)
Team news
Wout Faes, the only signing to cost Leicester money in the last two transfer windows, could make his Foxes debut this weekend after a delayed visa prevented the defender from featuring at Brighton.
The former Reims centre-back is likely to come into a back three alongside Jonny Evans and Daniel Amartey or Wilfred Ndidi.
Elsewhere, there could be recalls for Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Jamie Vardy, who were surprisingly left on the bench at the Amex Stadium.
But both Patson Daka and Kelechi Iheanacho scored in the 5-2 defeat and will hope to have done enough to stay in the starting XI.
Ryan Bertrand and Ricardo Pereira remain on the Foxes’ casualty list.
For Villa, Matty Cash looks likely to miss out after picking up a thigh injury in the first half of last weekend’s 1-1 home draw with City.
Ashley Young, who replaced him after 26 minutes of the contest, is set to deputise for the Poland international once more.
Douglas Luiz is expected to keep his place in midfield after putting the disappointment of a blocked transfer to Arsenal behind him to play 90 minutes last Saturday.
New signing Leander Dendoncker could be available this weekend after the Belgian was unable to make his debut at Villa Park because of illness.
The stats
Leicester have lost their past five league games, their worst run since six defeats in a row in December 2014.
Harvey Barnes has more goal contributions against Aston Villa in the Premier League than any other team he has played against (four goals, one assist).
Iheanacho has scored 15 goals and provided a further five assists in his last 25 Premier League starts.
Villa midfielder Boubacar Kamara has been penalised for the joint-most fouls (15) in the top flight this season, alongside Manchester United’s Scott McTominay.
Prediction
Leicester look there for the taking at the moment as Rodgers’ players are falling for the same traps set by their opponents on a weekly basis.
Brighton created turnovers against the Foxes by pressing in midfield just as Southampton had done two weeks before, only they were much more clinical with their opportunities.
Villa will surely take an aggressive approach from the first whistle of this contest, which has become a must-win game for Gerrard and his players.
The hosts have lost five straight league games and it looks highly likely that a repeat of their recent performances would condemn Leicester to another.
