Links: http://www.wiziwig.tv/broadcast.php?...69&part=sports
Quote:
The emphasis has changed for Roberto Martinezs Everton side. Everton can no longer be looked upon as plucky, overachieving outsiders for a top-5 finish not now that they have smashed their transfer record in making Romelu Lukakus move from Chelsea permanent.
So serene was Leicester Citys progress to the Championship title that the normal pre-season caveats do not apply to them, either. Nigel Pearson has a tight-knit squad augmented by some sage summer purchases so whilst survival will still be Leicesters first port of success, they will quietly be hoping for lower mid-table security.
This is one of the more intriguing opening-day clashes. Everton should run out winners, perhaps by a narrow margin yet it would be no surprise and possibly not so much of an upset were Leicester to come away with three points. Opening-day fixtures are often spectacularly bad guides to where a side will end up in May. But in this case, the result from the King Power could be revelatory as to the relative prospects of Leicester and Everton.
Leicester 1 (Marcus Bent) Everton 1 (Rooney) Premier League, March 2004
Everton 3 (Howey, Rooney, Radzinski) Leicester 2 (Les Ferdinand, Scowcroft) Premier League, December 2003
Everton 2 (Chadwick, Ferguson) Leicester 2 (Deane 2) Premier League, April 2002
Stats:
0 seasons for Everton outside the Premier League
10 years since Leicester were in the Premier League
4 draws out of 5 encounters between Leicester and Everton at the King Power stadium
16 years since Leicester last beat Everton
Team News:
Jamie Vardy and Marc Albrighton are injury doubts for Leicester ahead of their Premier League return against Everton at the King Power Stadium. Striker Vardy, who scored 16 goals last season to help the Foxes clinch the Championship title and end the club's decade-long absence from the top flight, has a thigh strain while midfielder Albrighton, a summer arrival from Aston Villa, is nursing a groin problem.
Anthony Knockaert has had an ankle injury recently but the French winger is expected to be fit while Matt Upson's ankle injury will rule him out.
Meanwhile, Everton manager Roberto Martínez will make late decisions on the fitness of Seamus Coleman, Kevin Mirallas and Romelu Lukaku. Right back Coleman sustained a hamstring injury in a friendly against Tranmere at the end of July while forwards Mirallas and Lukaku are a couple of weeks behind the rest of the squad in terms of overall fitness having returned to pre-season later after the World Cup.
Arouna Koné, out since October with a knee injury, will not be fit for another month, while Bryan Oviedo is still recovering from a broken leg.
Possible Teams:
Probable starters in bold, contenders in light.
Leicester City
Subs from Hamer, Logan, Hammond, Vardy, Albrighton, Taylor-Fletcher, Nugent, Schlupp, Moore, Hopper, Wood
Doubtful Albrighton (groin), Knockaert (ankle), Vardy (thigh)
Injured Upson (ankle, unknown)
Suspended None
Top scorer (last season) Nugent 20
Everton
Subs from Robles, Coleman, Hibbert, Alcaraz, Garbutt, McGeady, Atsu, Besic, Gibson, Osman, Naismith, Long, Hope, McAleny, Browning, Duffy
Doubtful Coleman (hamstring), Lukaku, Mirallas (both match fitness)
Injured Koné (knee, Sep), Oviedo (broken leg, unknown)
Suspended None
Top scorer (last season) Lukaku 15