Leicester City face Arsenal at King Power Stadium on Wednesday night, looking to continue their fine start to the 2020/21 campaign.
Victories over West Bromwich Albion and Burnley have meant that Leicester sit top of the Premier League with maximum points. However, before they face their first proper test on Sunday at Manchester City, they host Arsenal in the Carabao Cup tomorrow.
The Gunners, like the Foxes, have won their two opening games and have continued the fine form they showed at the end of last season. Without a win at King Power Stadium in the previous three meetings, Mikel Arteta’s men will be hoping to edge past Brendan Rodgers’ men to start another potential domestic cup run.
Captain and last season’s top-goalscorer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has scored three times in his five encounters with the Foxes and will be looking to add to his goal he scored at Fulham on the opening day of the season.
Despite the anxiety and panic amongst the Leicester fanbase ahead of this season due to the lack of signings, Rodgers’ side have started the season in sizzling form. With a shaky first half at The Hawthorns, a much better second half performance followed before an eye-catching against Burnley.
Usual second choice players, Nempalys Mendy and Dennis Praet, have both started both games so far and impressed. Praet’s fabulous goal against the Clarets summed up a positive start to the season for the Belgium midfielder, with James Maddison looking less likely to start when fully fit.
But with Arsenal being Leicester City’s first tough test of the season, what are the key battles going into the cup contest tomorrow?
Jamie Vardy v Gabriel
Since his £27m move from Lille to Arsenal, Gabriel Magalhaes has started both of the opening games of the season, netting on his debut at Fulham. The 22-year-old made an average of 98.5 passes per game, completing 93.9% of them. 83 of passes made were short, with four being long.
Jamie Vardy, last season’s Golden Boot winner, has two goals so far this season. After the second-best goalscoring campaign of his Premier League career, Vardy will be looking to help Leicester establish themselves as a consistent European team.
The Leicester striker has nine goals in 11 appearances against Arsenal since 2014. His equaliser at a rainy Emirates last season followed a brilliant team goal in November in a game that edged Unai Emery closer to the sack.
Since Arteta’s tactical switch to a 3-4-3 formation in June, that saw them only lose twice, Arsenal have only conceded eight Premier League goals in 10 games. The signing of Gabriel strengthened their backline, with Kieran Tierney or Said Kolasinac impressing so far this season.
With the game being a Carabao Cup game sandwiched between two league games, plus with the winners of the tie facing either Lincoln City or Liverpool next week, it is likely that both Arteta and Rodgers will rotate.
Kelechi Iheanacho hasn’t featured at all so far this season and could be handed a starting place on the night. However, it all depends on how Rodgers views the Carabao Cup with Europa League football on the horizon.
If Gabriel or Vardy start, the contest between the English striker and Brazilian defender could be the telling point in whether Leicester continues their fine form over the Gunners, or if Arteta’s side can keep the main man in Leicester quiet.
Dennis Praet v Granit Xhaka
Usually, the key battle in midfield that includes Leicester would be James Maddison against whoever is handed the job to mark the talented midfielder. However, Maddison has not fully recovered from his hip injury and has been introduced from the bench in both games so far.
Maddison played double the minutes against Burnley (28) than he did against West Brom (15) a week prior and could see more minutes on Wednesday.
Dennis Praet, who has been selected to replace Maddison in the opening two games, has been nothing but sensational. The Belgium midfielder made 51 passes on Sunday, completing 89.6% of his passes.
His right-footed strike was the first goal he scored for the Foxes since the 2-1 home defeat to Southampton, summing up one of his best performances in a Leicester shirt.
Rodgers has opted to use Praet as the more advanced of the midfield three and he has repaid the faith. With 51 of his 67 touches being passes, Praet conceded possession only once against Sean Dyche’s side. Praet’s performance so far means he will be the main outlet through the middle for Leicester.
After reviving his Arsenal career, Granit Xhaka has also impressed recently, mainly since the arrival of his new manager. Making 132 touches altogether against their London-rivals, Xhaka made 118 passes and completed 89.8%.
Unlike Praet, Xhaka is a more defensive-minded player, hence why he only made one dribble against the Hammers. However, his zero tackles and interceptions will tempt Praet into making surging runs through the Switzerland international.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang v Timothy Castagne
The Gabon striker is one of Arsenal’s best and most valuable players. Extending his contract for a further three years, the 31-year-old striker will be looking to add to his goal he scored against the Foxes in July.
Despite having a quieter game against West Ham, Aubameyang was still pivotal to the three points. His assist for Alexandre Lacazette showed his quality coming from the left-wing, something that has become the ‘new normal’ for him.
After being put at left-wing in the 1-1 draw with Bournemouth on Boxing Day last season, Aubameyang played all but two of his final 17 league games on the left-hand side. The change of his position from Arteta saw him 11 goals in the league and score all four of Arsenal’s goals in their 2-0 win over Manchester City and 2-1 win over Chelsea to win the FA Cup.
The Arsenal man’s opening goal of the season, a right-footed curling strike against Fulham, is a perfect example of the task of Timothy Castagne. Since his arrival from Atalanta, Castagne has been deployed as a right-back and been awarded the club’s Man of the Match in his two opening games. With James Justin impressing at left-back also, the need for a Ben Chilwell replacement seems to have cooled down.
Defensively, he is sound. Making three tackles and two interceptions against West Brom, Castagne offers Leicester with another outlet of attack. With Ricardo Pereira out injured, Castagne has been perfect so far.
A goal to open the scoring against the Baggies followed by an assist for Harvey Barnes’ equaliser against Burnley, Castagne has taken the Premier League by storm. Offensively, he has been of the best for Rodgers so far this season.
On the other hand, Wednesday’s encounter will provide the Belgium international with his first test in a blue shirt. A preview on what to expect when facing Raheem Sterling on Sunday.
If Aubameyang can be kept quiet, it will be hard for Arsenal to progress to the Fourth Round. Either Lacazette or Eddie Nketiah will start as a striker, giving the Gunner the role to provide an outlet from out wide.