Chelsea
are aiming to make it eight home Premier League wins on the bounce when
Leicester City visit on Saturday afternoon.
Despite their strong run of late, Chelsea start the weekend 16 points behind
leaders Manchester City. No side has come back to recover from such a
deficit to win a Premier League title with the biggest ever recovery at any
stage of a season being 13 points by Arsenal in 1997.
The Blues have won the last three Premier League meetings between these two
and ran out 2-1 victors in the corresponding fixture earlier this season
with goals from Alvaro Morata and N'Golo Kante.
After a run of four straight wins before Christmas, Leicester have lost
three of their last five matches and drew 0-0 with Fleetwood in the FA Cup
third round last weekend. The Foxes are also winless in their last 12 away
Premier League games against 'big six' opposition (W0 D3 L9) - losing each
of the last five.
Team news
Chelsea are expected to field a full-strength side against Leicester.
Captain Gary Cahill was rested for the midweek Carabao Cup semi-final
first-leg with Arsenal and could return in defence.
Ross Barkley is expected to be fit to make his debut following a hamstring
injury in Chelsea's FA Cup third-round replay with Norwich next Wednesday.
Jamie Vardy is fit again after missing Leicester's FA Cup trip to his former
club Fleetwood.
The striker will travel to Chelsea on Saturday after recovering from the
groin injury which made him sit out the goalless draw at Highbury Stadium
last Saturday.
Wes Morgan and Danny Simpson (both hamstring) and Robert Huth (ankle) are
out but Christian Fuchs (illness) and Vicente Iborra (hamstring) are fit for
Claude Puel's side at Stamford Bridge.
Opta stats
Chelsea have lost just one of their last 11 meetings with Leicester City in
the Premier League (W9 D1 L1) - losing 1-2 in December 2015 at the King
Power Stadium.
Leicester City have won just once in their 11 previous Premier League visits
to Stamford Bridge (W1 D3 L7) - winning 2-0 in September 2000, with Muzzy
Izzet and Stan Collymore getting on the scoresheet.
Since losing to Man City in September, Chelsea have won each of their last
seven home Premier League games, shipping just three goals and keeping five
clean sheets in that time.
Antonio Conte has won 25 of his opening 30 home Premier League games as
manager, no boss in the competition has won more of their opening 30. Jose
Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti also won 25, with Mourinho drawing and
Ancelotti losing their 31st home games in charge.
Leicester have both scored and conceded in 14 of their 22 league games this
season - more than any other Premier League side.
Davide Zappacosta (who had no goals or assists in his first 11 Premier
League games) has come off the bench to either score or assist a goal in
each of his last two league appearances.
Riyad Mahrez has been directly involved in 14 goals (7 goals, 7 assists)
after 22 Premier League games this season; nine more than he had managed
after as many games in 2016-17 (five - three goals, two assists).
Since August 2014, Vardy has scored more Premier League goals against 'big
six' opposition than any other player (22 goals in 41 apps).
Merson's prediction
Before I watched the Carabao Cup semi-final with Arsenal I would have said
Chelsea would win this 3-0, but I'm not so sure now. They struggled in what
was a poor game.
Having said that, I think Chelsea will have too much for a Leicester side
whose form has been up and down. They lost to Watford, who have won once in
a blue moon, and with Chelsea needing a win to consolidate their position in
the top four, I fear for the Foxes.
PAUL PREDICTS: 2-0 (11/2 with Sky Bet)
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