Matchweek 31 in the Premier League concludes on Monday night when Leicester City host Newcastle United at King Power Stadium. Here is everything you need to know.
Leicester will be desperate to boost their hopes of Premier League safety, having lost each of their last seven matches without scoring a goal.
As for Newcastle, Eddie Howe’s side travel to the Midlands looking to build on a hard-fought 2-1 win over Brentford, with a top-four finish still very much within reach.
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Where are both teams in the table?
Leicester sit 19th in the Premier League on just 17 points, effectively 16 points from safety due to their significantly inferior goal difference to 17th-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers. Their last home win dates back to early December when they beat West Ham 3-1, and since then, the goals have dried up, failing to score in 12 of their last 16 matches.
Newcastle, meanwhile, are seventh with 50 points and have two games in hand over the sides above them.
After a dip in form in February that saw them lose three of their four league games, the Magpies have started to turn things around, picking up wins both in the league and the EFL Cup final to stay in the hunt for UEFA Champions League football next season.
| Position Pos | Club | Played Pl | GD | Points Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 |
Chelsea
CHE
|
31 | +17 | 53 |
| 5 |
Newcastle
NEW
|
30 | +13 | 53 |
| 6 |
Man City
MCI
|
31 | +17 | 52 |
| 7 |
Aston Villa
AVL
|
31 | 0 | 51 |
| 8 |
Fulham
FUL
|
31 | +5 | 48 |
| 9 |
Brighton
BHA
|
31 | +2 | 47 |
| 10 |
Bournemouth
BOU
|
31 | +11 | 45 |
| 11 |
Crystal Palace
CRY
|
30 | +4 | 43 |
| 12 |
Brentford
BRE
|
31 | +4 | 42 |
| 13 |
Man Utd
MUN
|
31 | -4 | 38 |
| 14 |
Spurs
TOT
|
31 | +13 | 37 |
| 15 |
Everton
EVE
|
31 | -5 | 35 |
| 16 |
West Ham
WHU
|
31 | -17 | 35 |
| 17 |
Wolves
WOL
|
31 | -16 | 32 |
| 18 |
Ipswich
IPS
|
31 | -34 | 20 |
| 19 |
Leicester
LEI
|
31 | -45 | 17 |
| 20 |
Southampton
SOU
|
31 | -51 | 10 |
Upcoming fixtures
Leicester v Newcastle: Last five PL meetings
14 Dec 2024: Newcastle 4-0 Leicester
22 May 2023: Newcastle 0-0 Leicester
26 Dec 2022: Leicester 0-3 Newcastle
17 Apr 2022: Newcastle 2-1 Leicester
12 Dec 2021: Leicester 4-0 Newcastle
Team news
Leicester: The Foxes have a relatively clean bill of health, with Abdul Fatawu the only player ruled out.
Newcastle: Jamaal Lascelles and Lewis Hall are long-term absentees, while Sven Botman is targeting a return in May. Anthony Gordon, Kieran Trippier, Alexander Isak and Joelinton are injury doubts. Matt Targett is also unavailable due to illness.
What the managers have said
Ruud van Nistelrooy (Leicester)
On Leicester's form: "It is not going well, the results are bad, but I think as a team we stick together and this is the most important. If we do that we have a chance to get result."
On Newcastle: "They are on a great momentum with their first silverware since 70 years. They are a very strong, quick and physical side hard to come up against."
Watch: Ruud van Nistelrooy's pre-match press conference
On Isak and Trippier: "Hopefully they are feeling okay. We don't think we got any big injuries from Wednesday night, but we certainly got a few niggles, so let's wait and see."
On Leicester: "They are not out of it. They will still believe they have chance. They have been very competitive, but results might not show it. They have good players. [Jamie] Vardy is still a massive threat. Ruud [van Nistelrooy] has got them playing good football, so we will have to be on our guard still."
Match officials
Referee: Rob Jones. Assistants: Ian Hussin, Blake Antrobus. Fourth official: Tony Harrington. VAR: Alex Chilowicz. Assistant VAR: Richard West.
Key facts
Should Leicester lose this game without scoring, they would become the first side in football league history to lose eight home league games in a row without a goal – Watford also lost seven in a row between December 1971 and March 1972.
Newcastle have kept a clean sheet in each of their last three Premier League meetings with Leicester, more than they had in their previous 16 against the Foxes (two).
The Magpies have won seven away Premier League matches this season and could win 8+ on the road for a second time under Eddie Howe (also eight in 2022/23), having only done so three times before he joined the club (nine in 1993/94 under Kevin Keegan, nine in 2001/02 under Bobby Robson, eight in 2011/12 under Alan Pardew).
After winning nine of their 12 Premier League meetings with Newcastle between May 2015 and December 2021 (L3), Leicester are now winless in four against the Magpies (D1 L3).