Leicester
manager Claudio Ranieri will be hoping to lead his side to victory over
former club Chelsea on
Monday Night Football.
Ranieri spent four years at Stamford Bridge between 2000 and 2004 but his
focus now is Leicester, who are two points clear of Arsenal at the top of
the Premier League table after 15 games.
Leicester, who saw Ranieri and Jamie Vardy named manager and Player of the
Month for Novemeber respectively, are on an eight game unbeaten run in the
league and will be hoping to extend that against a Chelsea side that lost to
Bournemouth last weekend.
The Blues recovered in midweek to record a 2-0 victory over Porto in the
Champions League to book their place as group winners in the last 16.
However, focus now returns to the Premier League where Chelsea have picked
up just one win in their last six matches and are without victory in their
last five games away from home.
Team news
The Foxes have no new injury concerns with Ritchie de Laet (ankle) out for
the rest of the month and Matty James edging towards a comeback following a
long-term knee injury.
On-loan winger Nathan Dyer is available again after being ineligible to face
his parent club Swansea in Leicester's 3-0 win at the Liberty Stadium last
week.
Mourinho has a full squad to pick from for the trip to Leicester with both
John Terry and Ramires returning from injury in the win over Porto.
Midfielder Cesc Fabregas was dropped and could miss out again after the
improved performance in midweek, while striker Radamel Falcao is fit again
and could be on the bench.
Opta stats
The head-to-head record makes good reading for Chelsea. They have won their
last six Premier League meetings with Leicester.
However, Mourinho's side have won just one of their last eight Premier
League away games (W1 D2 L5).
Since losing to Chelsea back in April, Leicester have been one of the form
teams in the league, losing just one of their last 19 matches.
This is Chelsea's worst start to a Premier League season (15 points from 15
games) since 1993/94.
Vardy's goal run maybe over but he has now scored or assisted in 13
consecutive league games, beating Stan Collymore's run of 12 set between
March and August 1995.
Paul Merson's prediction
This is must, must, must win for Chelsea. There are 14 points between them
and the top four, but I think they need to be judged on how many points they
are off Leicester.
They're 18 off Leicester, but for me the Foxes are not going to be winning
the league come May. If they come anywhere in the top four, it will be
fourth. So for Chelsea, Leicester are the side they need to chase down.
We say every week Chelsea will win this game, win seven on the trot and be
fine, but they did not look like winning against Bournemouth. Kept the ball
forever and did not look like scoring.
This is a really, really hard game to judge. Chelsea haven't really ripped
anyone to shreds this season, although they did play well against Porto.
I'll go 2-2.
PAUL PREDICTS: 2-2
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