Chelsea vs Leicester - Preview, prediction, team news and lineups

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FanSided World Football

·8 March 2025

Chelsea vs Leicester - Preview, prediction, team news and lineups

Chelsea are unbeaten in seven meetings with Leicester, winning six of them, their most-recent defeat in this fixture coming in the 2021 FA Cup Final; the Foxes have won only two of 32 league visits to Stamford Bridge since 1965.

Chelsea vs Leicester City Preview

Can Chelsea continue their push for Champions League qualification? Last time out in the league, the Blues swatted aside rock-bottom Southampton 4-0 at Stamford Bridge; Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto, Levi Colwill and Marc Cucurella all scoring. However, Enzo Maresca will be well aware that few get much credit for beating this iteration of Southampton, and this does not mean all of his problems are solved. That's because, prior to this, the Blues had won just two of their last ten league outings, beating only West Ham and Wolves since mid-December, but they are now back up to fifth, thereby occupying the last Champions League position, under pressure to stay there.

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On Thursday night, the Blues beat København 2-1 in the first leg of their Conference League tie, with Reece James breaking the deadlock from range at Parken, before Enzo Fernández doubled their advantage soon after. Assume they complete the job next Thursday, the Blues will face either Molde or Legia Warszawa in the quarter-finals, very much overwhelming favourites to be hoisting silverware aloft in Wrocław come the end of May.

As for Leicester City, they travel to West London in horrendous form, desperately needing points if they're to remain in the top-flight. Ruud van Nistelrooy's team were most-recently in action across the capital ten days ago, tepidly beaten 2-0 by West Ham, barely getting out of their half, showing almost no intensity all night. That was a fourth successive defeat for the Foxes, who've failed to score in any of these matches, losing 11 of their last 12 overall, beating only Spurs since 3 December.

The only good news for Leicester fans is that their side are still only five points from safety, albeit this commences a nightmare fixture last, facing Man United, Man City, Newcastle, Brighton and then Liverpool in succession between now and Easter. Thus, it would be one of the biggest upsets we've ever seen in the Premier League should the Foxes leave Stamford Bridge victorious on Sunday.

Chelsea vs Leicester City Head-to-Head Record

Matches Played: 126.

Chelsea Wins: 63. Draws: 35. Leicester City Wins: 28.

Chelsea Team News

Enzo Maresca quite heavily rotated in Copenhagen on Thursday, with youngsters Shim Mheuka and Tyrique George, as well as former Leicester star but forgotten man Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, amongst the starters.

Here, Filip Jörgensen, who's usurped Robert Sánchez as number one, will be back in goal, with Marc Cucurella, Levi Colwill, Enzo Fernández and Pedro Neto amongst those back in the lineup too. Considering Malo Guston went off injured in the first half, he's unlikely to be fit in time for this one. Wesley Fofana was an unused substitute against Southampton, now hoping to feature for the first time since 1 December following a hamstring injury, thereby doing so against his former club.

Roméo Lavia, Noni Madueke, Marc Guiu and Nicolas Jackson do remain sidelined, while Moisés Caicedo would miss upcoming London derbies against Arsenal and Tottenham if booked.

Chelsea predicted lineup vs Leicester City: (4-2-3-1): Jörgensen; Chalobah, Adarabioyo, Colwill, Cucurella; Fernández, Caicedo, Sancho, Palmer, Nkunku; Neto.

Chelsea Players to Watch vs Leicester City

Cole Palmer is currently six Premier League games without a goal, but he was on target when the Foxes visited Stamford Bridge in the FA Cup last season, so can he end his draught?

Leicester City Team News

Harry Souttar, Ricardo Pereira and Abdul Fatawu remain sidelined long-term, while it'll be intersting to see if Ruud van Nistelrooy makes mass-changes, given his team's miserable form. Supporters are desperate to see Stephy Mavididi brought back into the lineup, possibily in place of Facundo Buonanotte, with Jannik Vestergaard and Wout Faes continue to be the first-choice centre-backs.

Leicester City predicted lineup vs Chelsea: (4-2-3-1): Hermansen; Justin, Vestergaard, Faes, Kristiansen; Ndidi, Soumaré, De Cordova-Reid, El Khannouss, J Ayew; Vardy.

Leicester City Player to Watch vs Chelsea

Mads Hermansen has been one of Leicester's most-impressive players this season, making 75 saves in the Premier League, an average of almost four per game, and they'll need him to be at his best.

Chelsea vs Leicester City Prediction

We cannot see any other result than a routine Chelsea victory. The Blues boast so much attacking talent, while the Foxes are devoid of any confidence whatsoever: Chelsea 3-0 Leicester City.