The curtains will fall on Gameweek 5 of the 2022/23 Premier League season on Thursday with a game at the King Power Stadium. Leicester City will play hosts to Manchester United on the day, with the hosts looking to get their first win of the campaign and the visitors hoping to build a solid run of form.
Leicester City might not have envisioned to be sitting at the bottom of the Premier League table when the 2022/23 season began, despite the lack of spending at the Midlands club. But Brendan Rodgers has struggled to galvanise his squad thus far, with the Foxes taking home just one point from four games thus far. And Leicester’s last three games have all ended in defeat.
Like Leicester, Manchester United sat at the bottom of the Premier League standings after losing their first two games of the season. But the Red Devils have found some form in their last couple of outings, beating Liverpool and Southampton by the odd goal to climb into the top half ahead of the latest gameweek. And Erik ten Hag will hope Manchester United’s current run continues.
How To Watch
Match: Leicester City vs Man United
Date & Time: September 1st @ 3:00 PM (ET)
Venue: King Power Stadium
TV Channel: BT Sport 1, BT Sport Ultimate
Online Streaming: BT Sport App & fuboTV (Try for free)
Watch in Canada: fubo Sports Network Canada
Team News
Leicester City: Brendan Rodgers does not have any injury concerns hampering his preparations ahead of the visit of Manchester United. On Thursday, the Leicester City manager might be bereft of the services of as many as three first-team players.
Rodgers is sweating over the fitness of James Maddison, in particular, with the English playmaker recovering from a knock, although he might have a chance to feature against Manchester United. But Ricardo Pereira (Achilles) and Ryan Bertrand (knee) remain on the sidelines due to their respective injuries.
Since Kasper Schmeichel’s departure from the King Power Stadium, Danny Ward has established himself as the new first-choice goalkeeper for Leicester City. The Welsh international will see his team line up in a 4-3-3 formation against Manchester United, with Timothy Castagne and James Justing starting as the two full-backs.
Manchester United: Like his counterpart in the Leicester City dugout, Erik ten Hag should have the same resources at his disposal as he did this past weekend ahead of the trip to the King Power Stadium. The Manchester United manager will be without four first-team players on Thursday.
The major absentee for Manchester United is Anthony Martial, with the Frenchman nursing an Achilles injury. While Martial unlikely to return against Leicester, he will likely be back in the starting eleven on the weekend against Arsenal, which will have more stakes. The other players on the sidelines are Victor Lindelof, Brandon Williams and Facundo Pellistri.
David de Gea remains the first-choice goalkeeper for Manchester United despite his shortcomings in Erik ten Hag’s system. And the visitors will take up a 4-2-3-1 formation against Leicester City, with Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez continuing their solid central defensive partnership.
Head to Head
- Leicester have failed to win any of their opening four games of a Premier League season for the first time since 2003-04 when they were relegated.
- The Foxes could equal their longest run of five games without a win from the start of a Premier League campaign, last doing so in 1994.
- Brendan Rodgers could lose four consecutive league games for just the second time in his managerial career, equalling his run at Swansea in 2012.
- Manchester United are looking to win back-to-back Premier League away games for the first time since last September.
- The Red Devils could also win three successive league games for the first time since December.
- Marcus Rashford has scored six league goals against Leicester, including three in his last four appearances at the King Power Stadium.
Prediction: Manchester United might have clinched back-to-back wins, but they look vulnerable at the back. However, last week’s twin victories will have given Erik ten Hag and his charges the confidence to approach a game with vigour instead of fallen shoulders. And the prospect of climbing into the European places with a win will be motivation enough for Manchester United.
Score Prediction: Leicester City 1 - 3 Manchester United