Leicester vs Newcastle predictions: Magpies can dispatch Foxes with minimum of fuss
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- Leicester have failed to score in nine of their last 10 league games
- Newcastle went into weekend two points off fourth with a game in hand
- Recommended bet: Newcastle to win to nil
After finally ending their domestic trophy drought, Newcastle could have been forgiven for taking their foot off the gas but they followed up their Wembley win with an important three points against Brentford, who had been flying on the road.
The determination to find a winner after being pegged back shows that Newcastle are fully focused on the battle for a Champions League place, and they went into this weekend two points adrift of fourth-placed Chelsea and a point behind Manchester City in fifth — crucially with a game in hand on both.
Next up is Leicester and with their immediate rivals both facing derby battles on the road, Newcastle may have a big opportunity to turn up the heat on Monday should either have faltered.
Although not mathematically down, the Foxes are showing little appetite for their survival fight having lost each of their last seven league games — all without scoring — and they are now 12 points from safety with eight games to go.
Team news
Ricardo Pereira made a late cameo in the midweek defeat to Manchester City and is pushing for a return to the starting XI, meaning Leicester will only be without long-term injury victim Abdul Fatawu.
However, there has been a reported falling out between manager Ruud van Nistelrooy and midfielder Harry Winks, who was dropped from the matchday squad at the Etihad and may be overlooked once again.
Newcastle will be without defenders Lewis Hall, Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles due to injury, while Anthony Gordon is a major doubt due to the hip problem he picked up while on England duty.
Alexander Isak, Joelinton and Kieran Trippier face late fitness tests after picking up knocks in the win over the Bees with boss Eddie Howe stating none of them had "big injuries" in his press conference.
The stats
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Leicester have scored only 25 goals in 30 games while conceding 67, reflecting their position in the table with only bottom club Southampton having a worse record on both counts.
The Foxes have not scored a single goal in losing their last seven games in the league, with their last successful effort coming in a surprise 2-1 win at Tottenham in January — their only points taken from the last 45 available.
Alexander Isak scored the opener against Brentford to hit the 20-goal mark in the Premier League, with only Mohamed Salah and Erling Haaland having scored more.
The Magpies have the fourth-best away record in the Premier League, winning seven and drawing three of their 15 games to amass 24 points, seven more than Leicester's total tally.
Newcastle are unbeaten in their last five games against Leicester, winning four of those fixtures, although only one of them was at the King Power Stadium when Newcastle won 3-0 in December 2022.
The season's reverse fixture ended in a 4-0 romp for the hosts with Jacob Murphy bagging a brace while Bruno Guimaraes and Isak also got on the scoresheet.
Prediction
This is a big chance for Newcastle and if they are serious about securing a Champions League place, anything other than a win over the hapless Foxes will be a disaster.
The writing has been on the wall for Leicester for some time and there is little evidence that they have the desire or fight to turn things around, having failed to score in nine of their last 10 games in the Premier League.
Van Nistelrooy's men only mustered two shots at goal in the midweek defeat at Man City, neither of which were on target, and Newcastle should have few problems in securing what could be a crucial three points.
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