Manchester United vs. Leicester City: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info, Preview
Manchester United will host Leicester City on Saturday looking to bounce back from a series of disappointing performances by erasing arguably the most embarrassing defeat the club has suffered in the 2014-15 Premier League season.
The Red Devils' 5-3 loss at the hands of the Foxes at the start of the campaign was mocked by fans from rival teams, and after a strong run that has put Louis van Gaal's squad firmly in contention for the Champions League spots, recent struggles against Southampton, Queens Park Rangers and Cambridge United are once again cause for concern.
Leicester sit last in the table but trail 16th-placed Sunderland by just three points, and while fans likely aren't expecting another miracle win against United, a result at Old Trafford could go a long way toward avoiding relegation at the end of the season.
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Date: Saturday, Jan. 31
Time: 3 p.m. GMT/10 a.m. ET
Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester
TV info and live stream: The match will be broadcast on NBCSN (for US.S viewers), with mobile coverage available via NBC Live Extra.
Preview
Manchester United will do whatever they can to avoid the debacle that was the 5-3 loss back in September, giving up a 3-1 lead to the newly promoted Foxes at King Power Stadium. It was the high point of Leicester's season, one that has mainly been filled with lows so far.
The Foxes sit at the bottom of the table, having won just four matches all season, and it doesn't look as if the squad's luck might change any time soon. According to their official website, Liam Moore, Chris Wood, Zoumana Bakayogo and Kasper Schmeichel are all doubtful to play, while Matty James is still suspended.
Their recent form has been slightly improved, however, having won two of their last four league matches, and coupled with United's recent struggles, another upset seems more likely than it might have three weeks ago.
The Red Devils have won just one of their last four league matches, a 2-0 win over QPR that was anything but inspiring. The draw against Cambridge United was arguably worse, prompting manager Van Gaal to blame just about everything but his own squad, per 101 Great Goals:
Fans might say a strong reaction is needed, but the same sentiments were echoed after the loss against Southampton and the subpar performance at Loftus Road. The squad simply isn't living up to its potential, and it might be a good idea to shake things up.
One move Van Gaal could make is to reintroduce summer acquisition Ander Herrera, who was one of the bright spots for the club coming off the bench against Cambridge. The Times' James Ducker is one of many who wonders why the Spaniard isn't getting more chances:
Stoke City's Bojan Krkic gave the Foxes fits in their 1-0 loss last week, and while Herrera certainly isn't a copy of the former Barcelona man, he's equally adept at using his lateral movement to find gaps and support the attack.
Leonardo Ulloa has scored more than a third of the Leicester's Premier League goals—seven of 20, via WhoScored—so shutting down the Argentinian will be key for the Red Devils' defence, which has conceded just twice in their last four Premier League fixtures.
Former Mancunian Danny Simpson believes in his club's chances, as shared by the Foxes' official Twitter feed:
For United, it's time for one of the strikers to step up and take control of the starting position by putting in a dominant display.
Robin van Persie and Radamel Falcao have both failed to truly convince so far, and James Wilson has scored just a single Premier League goal so far. The teenager is talented but too inexperienced to lead the attack of a Champions League hopeful.
Leicester's goal differential is -14, third-worst in the League, via WhoScored. Unless United suffer another major meltdown like they did in August, Van Gaal can afford to take some risks, send more bodies into the attacking third and create plenty of chances for his forwards to do what they haven't been doing enough this season—score goals.
Final Prediction: Manchester United 3-0 Leicester City
