Leicester v Newcastle preview: Foxes continue survival push against Magpies

Leicester host Newcastle in Saturday’s early kick-off looking to get back to winning ways after defeat to Chelsea in midweek.

The 3-1 defeat to Jose Mourinho’s men ended a run of four straight wins that helped the Foxes move out of the relegation places.

Nigel Pearson’s bizarre post-match press conference diverted attention away from the action on the pitch, but with the East Midlands club still just a point above Sunderland in 18th, they will need to refocus quickly ahead of the visit of Newcastle.

The Magpies are woefully out of form having lost their last seven games and are still far from safe with four games remaining.

A Gabriel Obertan strike was enough to give Newcastle the points in the reverse fixture back in October although it was Leicester who ran out 1-0 winners in the FA Cup tie between the two sides in January, Leonardo Ulloa the goalscorer.

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Team news

Andy King came off with a knock against Chelsea on his 300th Leicester appearance, but the midfielder looks set to remain in the squad.

Pearson confirmed that David Nugent (calf) would miss out, while a decision is yet to be made on Robert Huth (knee).

Newcastle midfielder Moussa Sissoko is available for the trip to Leicester after his return from suspension.

The Frenchman has sat out the last two games following his second dismissal of the season at Liverpool at Liverpool on April 13.

Sissoko could be joined by defender Paul Dummett following his recovery from a knee problem, while midfielder Siem de Jong, who scored on his return as a substitute against Swansea last weekend after an eight-month lay-off, got 90 minutes under his belt for the club's Under-21s on Tuesday.

Opta facts

Newcastle United have won five and lost none of the last nine league matches against Leicester City.

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Newcastle have scored a divisional-high 69% of their goals in the second half of games this season.

When Newcastle reached 35 points they were 17 ahead of Leicester but the Foxes can close the gap to one point with a win in this game.

Only Arsenal, Everton and Chelsea (13 each) have picked up more points in the last five games than Leicester (12).

The Magpies have scored more goals from substitutes than any other team in the top division (9).

Merson's prediction

I'm quite surprised Leicester didn't rest some of their players for the visit of Chelsea, but I think they'll beat Newcastle.

The momentum was slightly halted against the champions elect, and a couple more injuries won't help, but they played well enough to take something positive and carry on from there.

I just can't see where Newcastle are going to win another game. Everybody says they have enough points, but if Leicester can win four in a row from nowhere, anything can happen. If Leicester win, Newcastle will be sucked in. It could all change still.

PAUL PREDICTS: 2-1 (15/2 on Sky Bet)

Betting

Leicester City are Sky Bet's 10/11 favourites to record a fifth win in six matches when they take on a Newcastle (3/1) side who are still in need of points to preserve their own top-flight survival. Despite their midweek defeat to Chelsea, the Foxes are 1/6 to stay up and 7/2 fourth-favourites to be relegated, while the Magpies are 14/1 shots to take the drop after a recent dire run under boss John Carver. Three of the last four meetings between the sides have finished 1-0 and Sky Bet go 6/1 for the hosts to win by that margin and 9/1 for the Magpies. Leonardo Ulloa scored the only goal in the Foxes’ FA Cup third round win in January and a repeat of that result in a scorecast if available at 22/1. Newcastle have failed to score in their last four matches on the road so there will be plenty of punters taking up the 6/4 about a Foxes clean sheet. If Newcastle are to find the net Ayoze, who scored the opener in last week, is 7/1 favourite to break the deadlock and 12/5 to score anytime.