AFC Bournemouth are back in action at Vitality Stadium this weekend, with Leicester City making the trip down south.
AFC Bournemouth v Leicester City
Saturday 15th September, 3pm
Premier League
Vitality Stadium
Premier League football returns tomorrow following the international break as the Cherries welcome Leicester to Vitality Stadium. Last season, Eddie Howe’s side were held to a goalless draw by a side then-managed by Craig Shakespeare.
Leicester have started the season reasonably well, winning two out of their first four Premier League games, with defeats to Manchester United and Liverpool representing a tough start to the campaign. Claude Puel’s Foxes will now have their sights set on another top-half finish this season after coming ninth in 2017/18.
Last time out
Leicester City 1-2 Liverpool
Leicester’s final game before the international break saw them lose at home to the current league leaders. Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino struck in the first half to give the Foxes a mountain to climb, before summer signing Rachid Ghezzal offered a sight back into the game with his second-half goal. Liverpool held onto a slim lead to continue their perfect start to the season.
Six points out of 12 for the season so far puts Leicester in eighth place in the league table prior to their game against the Cherries.
Leicester: Schmeichel, Pereira, Morgan, Maguire, Chilwell, Mendy, Ndidi, Ghezzal, Maddison (Amartey 83), Albrighton (Iheanacho 61), Gray (Okazaki 76).
2017/18 top scorer: Jamie Vardy (20 goals)
Team news
Matty James is the only player sidelined for Leicester City’s trip down south this weekend, with Jamie Vardy due to feature in his first game back since suspension.
Claude Puel has also admitted that Turkey international Çağlar Söyüncü is fully fit, having played for his country over the international break, and could make his full debut at Vitality Stadium.
The manager
Entering the Premier League as Southampton manager ahead of the 2016/17 season, Claude Puel led Saints to a League Cup final and eighth-placed league finish. Leicester replaced Shakespeare with Puel early in the 2017/18 season, the latter lifting them from eighteenth to ninth during his tenure.
The Frenchman took charge of several top-flight clubs in his home nation, managing AS Monaco, LOSC Lille, Olympique Lyonnais, and OGC Nice all before making his move to the Premier League.
Top stat
Bournemouth have never lost to Leicester in the Premier League. At home, the Cherries have drawn two of their three encounters with the Foxes 0-0 and won the other fixture 1-0 in 2016/17, thanks to Marc Pugh’s first-half volley.
