Crystal Palace v Leicester predictions: Selhurst trip right up Foxes' alley

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Crystal Palace v Leicester City in the Premier League on Sunday.

Where to watch

Sky Sports Premier League & Main Event, 2pm Sunday

Best bet

Leicester
1pt 29-20 Betfred, Coral

Team news

Crystal Palace
Palace have no fresh injury concerns with Nathan Ferguson and Eberechi Eze long-term absentees.

Leicester
Jonny Evans should have recovered from illness. Wesley Fofana and James Justin are crocked.

Match preview

Leicester were left licking their wounds after a Europa League night to forget in Poland but it won't take much for the floundering Foxes to snap back to life, and a trip to Selhurst Park might be just what they need.

Brendan Rodgers' men are finding it hard going at the start of the season with the Leicester gaffer tweaking systems and personnel as well as trying to juggle domestic and European commitments.

So far it all looks a bit confused – chances are being created and not taken at one end, while chances are being gifted and taken at the other, which is why a team who harbour top-four aspirations currently find themselves in the wrong half of the table.

But a trip to Palace ought to be just their sort of fixture.

You might not have said as much last season against Roy Hodgson's ultra-cautious Eagles, although last term's 1-1 draw was still pretty much one-way traffic with Leicester winning the shot count 17-4 on the back of twice as much possession.

Patrick Vieira has set this year's Eagles up to be more forward-thinking, albeit drawing any hard and fast conclusions about their approach is somewhat risky after just six games. What is for certain is that they have fired off 15 more shots over the first six games of this season than last term but they continue to struggle to make them count – they are averaging 2.3 shots on target, the lowest in the top flight.

Jordan Ayew has now gone 50 Palace games without a goal, a run stretching back to November. His defensive work-rate is commendable but he is a forward at the end of the day and paid to find the back of the net.

The point is, a more front-footed Palace may play to Leicester's strengths. Both these sides have pace to burn on the counter and no one will be surprised by the fact that Leicester picked up ten more points on the road in 2020-21 than at home.

Fans are encouraging Rodgers to stick with last term's 4-2-3-1 formation, leaving Wilfred Ndidi and Youri Tielemans to call the shots in midfield, and stop dabbling with three at the back. They are undoubtedly weaker without Jonny Evans marshalling their backline although the Northern Irish centre-back could start this one after an illness.

Palace are unbeaten in three at home and there's a positive feeling around Selhurst having kept hold of Wilfried Zaha, purchased a decent striker in Odsonne Edouard and unearthed a gem in Conor Gallagher.

But Leicester are a side with top-six pedigree and can put Palace in their place.

Key stat

Leicester have conceded 2.1 goals per game in the ten Premier League matches since Jonny Evans' last start.

Inside info

Palace

Penalty taker Wilfried Zaha/Luka Milivojevic
Free-kick wizard Luka Milivojevic
Set-piece aerial threat Joachim Andersen
Card magnet Joel Ward

Leicester

Penalty taker Jamie Vardy
Free-kick wizard James Maddison
Set-piece aerialthreat Caglar Soyuncu
Card magnet Jonny Evans

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