Premier League: All Change at Leicester while West Ham Remain Patient

Leicester City vs West Ham United

When I first pondered previewing this game, an obvious line jumped out at me.

Could this midweek Premier League encounter be a contest between two sides with caretaker managers.

Then West Ham headed to Tyneside on a crisp November night and returned home with self belief and, more importantly, a priceless three points to ease some of the pressure on Julen Lopetegui.

Writing before their weekend London derby with Arsenal, it remains to be seen if that result proved a temporary stay of execution for the man in the Hammers’ hotseat.

But, either way, I still expect him to be in the dugout for the visit to the King Power Stadium.

Who is on the home bench, is also now clear after the announcement on Friday night that Ruud van Nistelrooy has been appointed to the hotseat.

 

Talking Points 

It says much for the impatience and/or strain on club owners that two managers who were only appointed in the summer could be out of a job before Christmas.

Yet such is the financial importance of top flight football that the alternative is too perilous a thought to bear.

As far as this SBOTOP writer is concerned, the decision to sack Steve Cooper was a harsh one.

Others disagree with my sentiments.

It is certainly an unusual move for Leicester under the Srivaddhanaprabha family, who generally prefer to give managers time.

This time around, Leicester felt compelled to act urgently to avoid a potential repeat of their 2023 relegation. Some of their players were sceptical of Cooper’s pragmatic style, having won the Championship last season under Enzo Maresca, now at Chelsea.

His pedigree was clear: after winning the under-17 World Cup with England, he took over Nottingham Forest when they were bottom of the Championship, guided them to promotion and then kept them up with memorable Premier League highlights in the process.

His connections with Leicester’s rivals though would not go away amongst some and didn’t help his security as some supporters never bought into his appointment.

This is despite him writing an open letter to them following his appointment and inviting club legends like Matt Elliott and Gerry Taggart to the training ground to talk to really understand the Foxes.

That counts for nothing now and his successor is in place – hot on the heels of a four game spell in interim charge of Manchester United in which he oversaw three wins, two of the victories against his new charges, a 3-0 league triumph marking his final match in caretaker charge.

As for the Hammers, their owners have shown more patience with their own summer arrival.

Sure, the attacking football West Ham fans hoped Lopetegui would introduce has only been seen in glimpses so far – their tally of 13 in their first 11 games was among the lowest in the Premier League with only Everton, Crystal Palace and bottom club Southampton scoring fewer.

But against Newcastle they showed glimpses of what they are capable of going forward, attacking with pace and in numbers while they were clinical with their chances.

If they can repeat that showing on Tuesday, they will be start as favourites.

 

History

Overall, Leicester have 51 triumphs in all competitions, West Ham have won on 55 occasions and there have been 34 draws.

The Hammers have not defeated them since a 4-1 victory in August 2021 when Michail Antonio scored twice in the final eight minutes to give the home side some breathing space.

After Pablo Fornals and Said Benrahma goals, Leicester had reduced the arrears through Youri Tielemans.

Their most recent meetings two seasons ago saw Leicester win home and away with a 2-0 victory in London, courtesy of James Maddison and Harvey Barnes, followed up by a 2-1 home win on the final day of the campaign.

Yet that victory, secured by Barnes and Wout Faes, was not enough to keep them up on a dramatic last day.

The inaugural meeting between these two came in November 1919 in Division Two – a goalless draw in the Midlands.

 

Betting Tip 

The League betting odds give the Hammers a narrow edge.

You can back the boys from the east end of London with 1X2 @ 2.40 and Asian Handicap 0.00 @ 1.86.

Very closely matched are the Foxes both 1X2 @ 2.64 and Asian Handicap 0.00 @ 2.04.

Another 2-1 home win is on offer @ 9.80 with Correct Score and goal options include over 2.75 @ 2.00, Total Goal 0-1 @ 3.30, 2-3 @ 1.94 and 4-6 @ 2.88.

I am expecting a tight affair and honours even so my *** tip is 1X2 Draw @ 3.27 – a start but a result which may do little to give wriggle room to either side.

   

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