3 Things to look out for in Leicester’s biggest game in years

9th, 9th, 5th, 5th, 8th – those are the finishing positions in Leicester City’s last five Premier League seasons, the mean average of which is just over seven. And yet, here we are, after thirty seven fixtures, with the Foxes needing a win, and help from elsewhere, to maintain their top flight status.

City will be relying on Bournemouth, who have defeated them twice this season, to deny Everton three points at Goodison Park, which would leave the door ajar for survival should they defeat West Ham United. Neither of those outcomes are a certainty by any stretch. Here at Foxes of Leicester we’re outlining three things to look out for tomorrow on, whatever the result, on a monumental day.

Increased self-belief at Leicester City

It might be a small thing to many outsiders, but Monday night’s 0-0 draw up in Newcastle will be seen as a positive to the glass half full contingent within the club. Keeping the Magpies at bay saw the Foxes take their first clean sheet in 22 games, going all the way back to the reverse fixture against the Hammers.

Dean Smith managed to rally his Aston Villa troops towards a seemingly impossible survival back in the 2019-20 season, securing a big result in the penultimate match before getting the job done against West Ham on the final day. That day, Everton lost at home to Bournemouth, and for the most optimistic City followers, there may just be a feeling that the stars are aligning towards their safety.

Half-interested Hammers

When David Moyes’ side progressed to the Europa Conference League final last Thursday with victory in the Netherlands, there were mixed emotions among the Foxes fan base, desperate to clutch at straws and clinging on to the most tenuous ideals that could lead to survival. While many accepted that the distraction of a final for their last day opponents would be a positive, others accepted that the Hammers might have struggled at home to relegation rivals Leeds United after their semi.

Thankfully, Leeds offered little resistance at the London Stadium and are no longer a concern for City, who with the win they need, would finish above the Elland Road side. It’s likely that Moyes will select a full-strength side to keep momentum for the trip to Prague in 11 days, but there will always be that thought lingering in the back of his players’ minds that they’d like to avoid injury heading to the big match.

This feeling is natural ahead of what for many is the biggest match of their careers, meaning that the Foxes should have their way in both the running stakes and any 50/50 challenges where their opponents may be a little more cautious. The counter to this argument is David Moyes’ affinity with Everton, with whom he spend over a decade in charge – but the Conference League final takes precedence over nostalgia.

Energy and enthusiasm

In terms of team selection, Smith will know that an early goal is essential, to unsettle to Goodison Park crowd and make Merseyside a scene of frantic chaos and desperation. Therefore, it’s likely that we’ll see tactics akin to that against Wolves deployed, but this time with the added creativity of Harvey Barnes and James Maddison who both missed City’s only win in 15 games.

Kelechi Iheanacho and Jamie Vardy are expected to start, with Maddison deployed from the right and Barnes from the left, ahead of the pivot of Boubakary Soumare and Youri Tielemans. Against a tired and relatively disinterested West Ham, the introduction of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall around the hour mark, game state depending, could be the crucial injection of bustling enthusiasm, pressing and hard yards needed to see City over the line.