Arsenal vs. Leicester City: Prediction, Preview & Betting Tips

The Gunners are unbeaten so far this season and come into this game having kept four clean sheets in seven games in all competitions. Leicester, on the other hand, are winless in the league and are facing one of the toughest tasks in the league calendar here.

Arsenal's head-to-head record against the Foxes is dominant, with the Gunners winning all of the last five meetings between the two teams. Arsenal 2-0 Leicester.

Arsenal welcome Leicester City to the Emirates Stadium this Saturday with both sides in need of a result for very different reasons.

• Date: 28/09/2024
• Kick-off time: 15:00
• Location: Emirates Stadium, Holloway

Arsenal's start to the season has been generally positive, though there is a sense of unfinished business lingering around Mikel Arteta’s side. The Gunners have amassed 11 points from their first six matches, a decent tally that still feels a little underwhelming given the opportunities they've had to collect more. A few crucial moments, including contentious refereeing decisions, have gone against them in these early weeks, affecting their ability to claim maximum points.

Despite this, Arsenal remain in a strong position to challenge for the title and have shown resilience and organisation, particularly in defence, where they have been outstanding. Their backline, led by William Saliba and Gabriel, has made them difficult to break down, conceding only three goals in their opening five matches - with three clean sheets. If they can maintain the same level of resolve throughout the season it's unlikely they'll finish any lower than 2nd.

Going forward, however, there is a consensus that Arsenal could be offering more. While they have been efficient in attack, scoring eight goals so far, their performances have not always been as dynamic as they could be. Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz have been key contributors, but the team as a whole has yet to reach the attacking fluidity that characterised their play at the peak of last season, with Martin Ødegaard's absence a big factor there. Arteta will be hoping that his side can find another gear as they continue to gel and grow into the season.

This fixture against Leicester provides an opportunity for Arsenal to assert their dominance and perhaps give a glimpse of what they are truly capable of. With Manchester City setting the pace at the top of the table, Arsenal will know that they need to keep picking up points consistently if they are to be considered serious title contenders. These days, slip-ups in the title race can be ill-afforded, let alone slip-ups against newly promoted sides.

Leicester City’s start to the season has been a mixed bag, but there are reasons for optimism despite their lowly position in the table. The Foxes were widely tipped for relegation at the beginning of the campaign after a tumultuous summer that saw them part ways with manager Enzo Maresca and endure a rather underwhelming transfer window. Many pundits feared that the club would struggle to stay afloat in the Premier League without significant reinforcements, a prediction that may still come to pass.

However, under the stewardship of Steve Cooper, Leicester have shown signs that they may have the resilience and fight required to avoid the drop. Although they have only managed three points from their first six matches, they have been competitive in most of their games and have not been overwhelmed by the opposition, even in difficult fixtures. Cooper’s pragmatic approach has helped solidify a side that looked fragile and bereft of confidence at the end of last season.

One of the most significant aspects of Leicester’s campaign so far has been the enduring presence of Jamie Vardy. The 37-year-old striker continues to defy expectations, contributing not just with his goals but with his experience and leadership on the pitch. His role has evolved from being the primary goal-scorer to a more holistic attacking presence, creating space for others through his movement and occupying the attention of defenders with his experience and nous. It's a testament to Vardy’s quality and fitness that he remains an indispensable part of the team at this stage of his career, but there are question marks over whether or not a player of his age can shoulder such a burden throughout a long season.

Regardless, the opening six weeks have gone about as well as anyone expected and if they can pick up a result here then the mood will be one of sheer elated optimism.

This game will not be televised live in the UK, but full radio coverage will be provided by BBC Radio Leicester.

Arsenal Team News:

The Gunners are still without Martin Ødegaard who continues his recovery from an ankle injury, while Oleksandr Zinchenko, Mikel Merino, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Kieran Tierney all remain on the sidelines.

Ben White is also a doubt with a knock, but Leandro Trossard is available once again after serving his one-match suspension against Bolton Wanderers in the EFL Cup.

Predicted lineup: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Rice, Partey, Havertz; Saka, Trossard, Martinelli.

Leicester Team News:

The Foxes' only two injuries are striker Patson Daka and goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk.

After a decent result and performance last time out, changes to the starting lineup from last weekend's game aren't expected here.

Predicted lineup: Hermansen; Justin, Faes, Okoli, Kristiansen; Winks, Ndidi; Ayew, El Khannouss, Mavididi; Vardy.

The Gunners' most recent outing was a 5-1 win over Bolton Wanderers in the EFL Cup. The game was a landmark for Ethan Nwaneri, the 17-year-old academy product, who made his first start for the club and bagged a brace. Declan Rice, Raheem Sterling and Kai Havertz also bagged in that game.

Last weekend, Arsenal took on Manchester City and played out a memorable 2-2 draw. Erling Haaland opened the scoring for City but Arsenal responded well, and a screamer from Riccardo Calafiori followed by a towering leap by Gabriel quickly turned the game in their favour before Leandro Trossard was sent off on the stroke of half-time for a second bookable offence.

In the second half, Arsenal completely shut up shop and camped in their own third, delivering a fantastic display of defensive resilience. It looked as though Arsenal would hang on for a huge three points, but in the 98th minute the ball ricocheted to John Stones following a quickly taken corner and the England international scuffed the ball into the roof of the Arsenal net to salvage a point for the home side.

Prior to that game, Arsenal drew 0-0 with Atalanta in the Champions League, beat Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 and drew 1-1 with Brighton.

Leicester's latest game was a penalty shootout win over Walsall in the EFL Cup following a 0-0 draw.

Prior to that, Leicester faced off against Everton and claimed a point in a 1-1 draw. The Foxes fell behind to a fine Iliman Ndiaye goal in the first half but responded well and were largely the better team in the second half, and in the 73rd minute they were rewarded for their exploits as Stephy Mavidi equalised with what proved to be the final goal of the game.

That game followed a 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace, a 1-2 loss to Aston Villa and a 4-0 win over Tranmere Rovers in the EFL Cup.

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