Roll up, roll up….it’s a busy Sunday of action in the Premier League on December 8.
As part of three 2pm kickoffs @FootyAccums are on duty at the King Power Stadium and looking for value in the betting markets. Here are their best Leicester v Brighton betting tips.
Leicester v Brighton Betting Tips
Correct Score: Leicester City 2-2 Brighton
Match Tip: Jamie Vardy to score first
WHEN: Sunday, 8th of December, 2pm
WHERE: King Power Stadium, Leicester
Leicester City are hoping to kickstart a sustained resurgence under Ruud van Nistelrooy as they lock horns with Brighton this weekend.
The Foxes are currently 16th in the Premier League, with 13 points from 14 games this season. Since earning promotion from the EFL Championship at the back end of last season, it’s been a rollercoaster ride for fans of the Foxes, who’ve had to grapple with a departing manager, a departing star player, financial troubles and a looming threat of a record points deduction, another departing manager and a Premier League legend taking over the managerial role. After all of that, Leicester fans are somewhat satisfied with where they sit in the table, especially given how little the squad was strengthened in the summer – and how much better they’re doing than the other two promoted clubs. Still, they’ll be under no illusions about how tough it’s going to be to survive this season, with quality in the squad undoubtedly limited, and winger Abdul Fatawu out for the season with an ACL injury. This is Van Nistelrooy’s second game in charge, and while the first game ended in a good win, there was little in the performance to suggest the team is about to embark upon a dramatic resurgence, with the visiting Hammers – who are struggling themselves – registering a whopping 31 shots on goal and squandering plenty.
However, Van Nistelrooy has momentum on his side, and during tough situations that can be leveraged to great advantage. This game will likely be immeasurably tougher than the clash with West Ham, so it will likely either serve as a sobering reminder to Van Nistelrooy about the task at hand, or it will be a real signifier that Leicester are firmly on the rise.
Brighton come into this game 5th in the league, with 23 points from 14 games. It’s been an excellent campaign for the Seagulls so far, who are firmly in contention for a UEFA Europa League spot. There were some doubts surrounding them coming into the season after replacing Roberto De Zerbi with 31-year-old Fabian Hurzeler, who is much more untested. There was also a notable degree of squad turnover, with stalwart Pascal Gros departing for Borussia Dortmund, while Billy Gilmour left for Napoli, and Brighton responded by doing what they always do: sign a lot of young players – which, incidentally, was partly what led De Zerbi to leave the club. However, their methods are proving unquestionable, as the club look on course to have yet another outstanding season. Georginio Rutter, signed from Leeds, has been the standout of Brighton’s new signings, while midfielder Carlos Baleba, now in his second season at the club, has arguably been the Seagulls most impressive player. A look at the table suggests Brighton are involved in the top four race. That is unlikely, but a top six finish is definitely on the cards. They’re favourites to pick up three points here, but games against sides amidst a new manager bounce are always tricky.
Leicester Team News
The Foxes are without Fatawu, Harry Winks and Ricardo Pereira, all of whom are out with injuries. Following a convincing win last time out, Van Nistelrooy is unlikely to make any changes to his starting line-up
Predicted Leicester XI: Hermansen; Justin, Coady, Vestergaard, Kristiansen; Ndidi, Soumare; McAteer, Buonanotte, El Khannouss; Vardy.
Brighton Team News
The Seagulls are missing Adam Webster, Jack Hinshelwood, James Milner, Ferdi Kadioglu and Solly March. March is nearing a return from an ACL injury that’s kept him on the sidelines for a full year, but this weekend might just come too soon for the winger. Danny Welbeck missed the midweek loss at Fulham with a knock but should be fit to return.
Predicted Brighton XI: Verbruggen; Veltman, Van Hecke, Dunk, Estupinan; Baleba, O’Riley; Rutter, Pedro, Mitoma; Welbeck.
Form Guide
The Foxes enter this one having won one, lost three and drawn one of their last five games. During the week, Leicester faced off against West Ham, and despite conceding over 60% of the ball and facing 31 shots on goal, they ran out 3-1 winners via goals from Jamie Vardy, Bilal El Khannouss and Patson Daka. Before that, Leicester fell to a 4-1 loss at Brentford, with the Bees mounting a dominant comeback after Facundo Buonanotte had given Leicester the lead. That result followed a 1-2 loss to Chelsea, a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Man United and a 1-1 draw away at Ipswich Town, where a last minute goal from Jordan Ayew salvaged a point.
Brighton’s form is solid, with the Seagulls having won two, drawn one and lost two of their last five games. Most recently, Brighton lost 3-1 at Fulham, but the score line wasn’t particularly reflective of the game, with Brighton largely the better side, only to be undone by errors.
Brighton slumped to a disappointing draw at home to Southampton, where despite taking the lead through Kaoru Mitoma, they were pegged back by Flynn Downes in the second half, and they could have even lost the game were it not for a contentious offside call. Prior to that, goals from Joao Pedro and Mitoma secured a fine 2-1 away win at Bournemouth, which was preceded by a 2-1 win over Man City thanks to Pedro and Matt O’Riley’s goals, a result that came after a 2-1 loss at Liverpool, another game where the Seagulls felt they should have taken a point at least.
Leicester v Brighton – Prediction
Despite their contrasting positions in the table, we’re backing the points to be shared in this one between Leicester and Brighton. Leicester will be brimming with confidence following their win over West Ham in Van Nistelrooy’s first game. The Foxes now have one win in their previous five. Meanwhile, Brighton have only won twice in their previous five, following defeat to Fulham. Expect goals in this fixture, as over 2.5 goals have been scored in seven of the last eight involving Leicester and six of the last seven involving the visitors. Both teams have scored in the last seven involving Brighton and seven of the last eight involving Leicester. Two of the last three meetings have also ended in a draw.
Correct Score: Leicester City 2-2 Brighton
Match Tip: Jamie Vardy to score first
Leicester v Brighton Betting Tips
Correct Score: Leicester City 2-2 Brighton
Match Tip: Jamie Vardy to score first
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