Leicester v Newcastle betting tips: Foxes on Euro mission
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Preview and odds for Friday’s Premier League match
Leicester have the chance to move another step closer to Champions League qualification when they kick off the next round of Premier League fixtures at home to Newcastle on Friday night.
The Foxes were disappointed to be held to a 1-1 draw by 10-man Southampton last time out but are still sitting pretty in third place and edging closer to securing a top-four finish.
Newcastle are on the verge of safety with a nine-point gap to 18th-placed Fulham and have the chance to climb to 13th in the table with a win.
Friday’s match kicks off at 8pm and is live on Sky Sports.
Leicester v Newcastle Match Odds
Leicester have been ruthless against the weaker teams in the division this season, which must be a worry for Newcastle boss Steve Bruce.
Brendan Rodgers’ men have already beaten seven of the bottom nine teams at the King Power Stadium, with November’s defeat against Fulham being the only exception, and they are 2/5 to further improve that record.
Newcastle are 6/1 underdogs, not helped by six defeats from six matches against the current top four, but Sunday’s 2-0 loss against Arsenal was only their second reverse in nine games.
There have been five draws in that time and the Magpies are 17/4 to pick up another point here or they can be backed at 33/20 to avoid defeat in the double chance market.
Leicester v Newcastle Head-to-Head
Leicester are looking to do the double over Newcastle after a 2-1 win in the reverse fixture.
The match came to life in the second half when goals from James Maddison and Youri Tielemans put Leicester in control and Andy Carroll’s volley for Newcastle proved in vain.
Leicester have won the last three meetings, having put eight goals past Newcastle without conceding in the Premier League last season.
A Foxes win and over 2.5 goals can be backed at 6/5 while they are 13/10 to win by more than one goal.
Previous XI
Leicester: Schmeichel, Fofana, Soyuncu, Evans, Castagne, Thomas, Tielemans, Maddison, Ndidi, Vardy, Iheanacho.
Newcastle: Dubravka, Clark, Dummett, Fernandez, Shelvey, Ritchie, Murphy, Almiron, Longstaff, Saint-Maximin, Wilson.
Team news
Rodgers expects Jonny Evans to be “fine” after the Leicester defender had a scan on a foot issue. Wes Morgan (back) is not yet ready to make a return to action, and Harvey Barnes and James Justin (both knee) continue with their recoveries.
Newcastle defender Fabian Schar will miss the game through suspension after the club failed in their appeal to have his red card against Arsenal overturned. On-loan midfielder Joe Willock returns to the squad but youngster Elliot Anderson is struggling with a hip problem.
Key Battles
Callum Wilson returned to Newcastle’s attack against Arsenal and is their top scorer with 10 goals so he will be the main threat to Leicester’s central defensive pair of Caglar Soyuncu and Jonny Evans.
Evans is in form in front of goal, scoring twice in the last three games, and is 8/1 to be on target again.
In-form striker Kelechi Iheanacho is the clear favourite at 13/5 in the first goalscorer odds and the partnership he has formed with Jamie Vardy will be a handful for Newcastle’s likely back three of Ciaran Clark, Paul Dummett and Federico Fernandez.
All odds and markets correct as of date of publication
