3 reasons why Leicester City will beat Southampton
By Will Kennedy
A point to prove
It’s won’t just be the three players departing he club in the summer. This campaign has highlighted the faults and flaws in the current squad, something that Rodgers will be desperate to fix. Sunday provides one last chance for players to prove themselves and their position at the club to both the manager, and the fans.
Of those, the main culprit is Caglar Soyuncu. Unable to replicate his astounding form in the 2019-2020 season, Cags has endured a second season of disappointing performances and errors in the back line. The injuries to Evans and Fofana provided an opportunity for him to make the starting centre-back role his own, instead he has been outshone by teammate Daniel Amartey.
Personally, I don’t think Soyuncu will get a chance to play on Sunday – injury provided of course – but even so, Soyuncu must prove himself in training or face a potential exit. Not many would be shocked to see him sold to generate further summer funds. He could still get one last shot, let’s see if he takes it.
Other players who face uncertain futures are Papy Mendy, Kelechi Iheanacho and Kasper Schmeichel. Mendy has been a useful asset to Rodgers over the last few years but hasn’t received the game-time that he wants, especially when Ndidi is fit.
Iheanacho has struggled for consistent starts after his incredible performances last season, instead with Rodgers opting to play Daka when Vardy has been unavailable. When he has played though, he looks less confident in his overall play compared to what we saw in 2021.
If a sizeable offer came in for him, I’d imagine there would be a temptation to cash in. Sunday could be pivotal for him to prove why he deserves to be a part of the squad next season.
As for Schmeichel, I don’t think there is any risk of him being sold, but his position as the undoubted starting goalkeeper is under threat. Fans have seen the weaknesses that the big Dane has in his game, including his inability to deal with crosses.
The surprise selection of Danny Ward against Watford offered an opportunity to see what a Schmeichel-less Leicester team would look like, and the Welshman looked comfortable between the sticks. Along with Ward, the returning Daniel Iverson may have something to say about the goalkeeper pecking order.
Having recently won three player of the season awards with Preston, Iverson will be hoping that he gets the chance to prove why he should be playing in the Premier League next season, or else he’ll almost certainly depart – the Lancashire Post are already reporting that promotion-chasing Middlesbrough are keen on him. The slightest error could be costly for the current Foxes captain; it’ll be a big one for him on Sunday.