West Ham United hosts Leicester City on Monday night in what might be the true match of the week. Sure, the London derby between Arsenal and Chelsea is the big brand name match-up of Premier League week two.
However, this fixture is the best overall, if you went based on having two teams that are both quality and for the most part even strength. Let’s take a look at who David Moyes and Brendan Rodgers might select in their first teams for this one.
Leicester City at West Ham United FYIs
Kickoff: Mon Aug 23, 8pm, London Stadium
Team News: go here
Podcast Preview of this match/West Ham: go here
TV: Sky Sports Premier League, NBCSN
Referee: Michael Oliver
Odds: West Ham 13/8, Leicester 25/14 Draw 13/5
West Ham United Starting XI Prediction
Lukasz Fabianski; Aaron Cresswell, Angelo Ogbonna, Craig Dawson, Coufal; Thomas Soucek, Declan Rice; Pablo Fornals, Said Benrahma, Jarrod Bowen; Michael Antonio
Leicester City Starting XI Prediction
Kasper Schmeicel: Ricardo Pereira, Caglar Soyuncu, Jannik Vestergaard, Castagne; Wilfred Ndidi Youri Tielemans; Ayoze Perez, James Maddison, Harvey Barnes; Jamie Vardy
Expect a very tightly contested and entertaining fixture.
Prediction: West Ham United 2, Leicester City 1
In a matchup of two sides that finished last season right next to each other in the table, we’re thinking the Hammers having home field advantage will make all the difference.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank, partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune.
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