Leeds v Leicester: Premier League betting predictions, free tips & TV details

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Leeds v Leicester in the Premier League on Monday.

Where to watch

Sky Sports Main Event & Sky Sports Premier League, 8pm Monday

Best bets

Leicester
1pt 9-5 Betfair, Betway

Patrick Struijk to be shown a card
1pt 5-1 Hills

Team news

Leeds
Captain Liam Cooper returns and is expected to slot back in at centre-back. Kalvin Phillips (shoulder) and defender Diego Llorente (groin) are still out but Raphinha is in contention to make his first start.

Leicester
Timothy Castagne, Ricardo Pereira, Caglar Soyuncu and Daniel Amartey and Wilfred Ndidi are out but Brendan Rodgers is hopeful Jonny Evans will be fit enough to start.

Match preview

Leeds have taken the leap from the Championship to the Premier League in their stride but Marcelo Bielsa’s possession-based tactics may play to the strengths of Leicester at Elland Road.

Bielsa has implemented a high-tempo style since arriving in Leeds just over two years ago and even in the Premier League has refused to compromise their attacking beliefs, which has made their games such compelling viewing.

United's intense approach enables them to create plenty of chances and they showed they can go toe-to-toe with the Premier League’s elite when they held Manchester City to a 1-1 draw at Elland Road and scored three in defeat against Liverpool at Anfield.

Bielsa’s boys have enjoyed more possession than all six of their top-flight opponents this season, including their meetings with Liverpool and City, and the trend is likely to continue against the Foxes.

But the counter-attack is Leicester’s most dangerous weapon and the pace and guile they boast up front through Jamie Vardy, James Maddison and Harvey Barnes is going to ask Leeds serious questions.

The injury to holding midfielder Kalvin Phillips is a big blow for Bielsa as it takes away a lot of their defensive protection.

Captain Liam Cooper is back in the fray after recovering from a groin injury but any rustiness is likely to be exposed by a fleet-footed Vardy, who has seven goals in just six league games.

Foxes can turn defence into attack quickly and they are at their most clinical when Maddison is supplying Vardy and they are facing opposition who are going to dominate the statistics.

Leicester’s two defeats this season were at home to West Ham and Aston Villa when they bossed the ball but lacked a killer punch.

However, the Foxes won on trips to Manchester City (5-2) and Arsenal (1-0) when possession was at a premium and Vardy was able to run on to long balls played in behind.

Rodgers was cautious in his approach in last weekend’s 1-0 win at Arsenal with key defensive injuries an obvious concern.

But they kept things tight until Vardy, who had missed two games through injury, was introduced from the bench and they may use similar tactics in Yorkshire to give themselves the best opportunity of stealing maximum points.

With Phillips sidelined, inexperienced Dutchman Patrick Struijk is expected to get the nod in the holding midfield role.

Struijk was hauled off by Bielsa after 21 minutes having already been booked in last week’s 3-0 win at Aston Villa but that was more down to the risk of a sending-off rather than a below-par performance.

Bielsa has substituted the influential Phillips early in games before for similar reasons, so if Struijk starts the quotes of 5-1 about him seeing another yellow look big.

The way Leeds approach games puts a lot of pressure on the player in that defensive role - Phillips has seen two cards in his last three league games - and Struijk’s inexperience could be exploited.

Key stat

Leicester have won all four of their competitive away games this season.

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