The Matchday 21 clash in the Premier League between Leicester and Crystal Palace will take place on January 15 at the King Power Stadium. Leicester vs. Crystal Palace: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Referee: Andy Madley (England)
Matches – 8 (Premier League, 2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 37;
Average yellow cards per match – 4.6;
Red cards shown – 1;
Average fouls per match – 25;
Penalties – 25%.
Predicted lineups for Leicester vs. Crystal Palace
Leicester (4-2-3-1): Jakub Stolarczyk – Jannik Vestergaard, Conor Coady, Luke Thomas, James Justin – Harry Winks, Boubakary Soumare – Stephy Mavididi, Bilal El Khannous, Jordan Ayew – Jamie Vardy.
Crystal Palace (3-4-2-1): Dean Henderson – Chris Richards, Maxence Lacroix, Marc Guehi – Daniel Munoz, Cheick Doucoure, Jefferson Lerma, Tyrick Mitchell – Ismaila Sarr, Eberechi Eze – Jean-Philippe Mateta.
Each team's starting lineup from their previous match in this tournament is listed.
Leicester
Ruud van Nistelrooy's side began the year with an away defeat to Aston Villa (1-2). This loss marked their fifth consecutive defeat in the league, with a goal difference of 2-14 in this stretch. Notably, Leicester hasn't experienced such a losing streak in the Premier League since September 2022. The team is in the relegation zone and has one of the worst defenses in the league, conceding 44 goals (only Wolves have conceded more, with 45 goals).
Midfielders Abdul Issahaku and Wilfred Ndidi, as well as defender Ricardo Pereira and goalkeeper Mads Hermansen, will miss the game due to injuries. The club's first transfer is also noteworthy - defender Voyo Koulibaly has joined from Parma.
- Both teams have scored in 16 of Leicester's last 21 Premier League matches.
- At least three goals have been scored in 9 of the club's last 10 league games.
- One team achieved a "clean sheet" in the first half in 11 of Leicester's last 12 Premier League matches.
Crystal Palace
The team managed a draw at home against Chelsea (1-1) in the last round. Before that, they defeated Southampton (2-1) and drew with Bournemouth (0-0) at home. Moreover, Oliver Glasner's side has only suffered one defeat (against Arsenal, 1-5) in their last nine Premier League matches (3 wins and 5 draws). The club is currently in 15th place, five points clear of the nearest relegation zone rival.
- The number "1" appeared in the final score in 6 of Crystal Palace's last 8 Premier League matches.
- The club has not trailed at halftime in their last seven away matches (3 wins and 4 draws).
- In their last nine away Premier League games, Crystal Palace has only won twice (4 draws and 3 losses).
Leicester vs. Crystal Palace: Match Prediction
Leicester finds themselves in a dire situation. Besides being among the bottom three, the team may face point deductions for violating the Premier League's financial regulations. Therefore, if the club wants to retain their place in England's top division, they need to accumulate as many points as possible in the second half of the season, especially in matches against lower-table opponents.
Crystal Palace has played nine away matches in the league this season, defeating only Ipswich and Brighton (with 4 draws and 3 losses). Additionally, the Londoners have not won in 18 of their last 22 away Premier League games (9 draws and 9 losses). Furthermore, Leicester has performed well against this opponent in the Premier League, with only one loss in their last nine encounters (4 wins and 4 draws).
My prediction: Crystal Palace to win or draw
