Everton vs Leicester City Match Preview: Classic Encounter, Key Battle, Team News & More

Seventh place Leicester City travel to Goodison Park to face ninth placed Everton in their last Premier League game of January. 

The Merseyside residents are yet to win a match in 2018, and will be hoping this fixture will be a turning point in their season. After defeats to Manchester United and Tottenham, and a draw with West Brom, Everton will be hoping for a home victory. 

In contrast, the visitors are yet to lose a match in January with two Premier League victories and a draw against Chelsea.

Here's everything you need to know ahead of the clash at Goodison Park:

Classic Encounter

Michael Regan/GettyImages

Since the year 2000, the two sides have met 16 times with Everton winning four times, Leicester winning four times. 

One of the most memorable matches was early last year at Goodison Park with Everton coming from behind to win 4-2. This was the first Premier League game to produce three goals in the opening ten minutes since Newcastle United's 4-4 draw with Arsenal in February 2011.

Romelu Lukaku, scored two in the six-goal thriller, with five of those goals coming in the first half itself. After just 30 seconds, Tom Davies set the home side with an early lead, but they were pegged back in the fourth minute after Islam Slimani and Marc Albrighton scored within six minutes of each other. 

The Blues went on to equalise in the 23rd minute with a close range header from Lukaku but the first half action continued. Just before half time, Phil Jagielka found the back of the net with a header from a corner kick. 

However, it was no other than Lukaku who killed the game off in the 51st minute with a far post finish in a crowd of players. 

Key Battle 

Ashley Williams vs Jamie Vardy/Riyad Mahrez

Riyad Mahrez and Jamie Vardy are both currently on form for Leicester after scoring in the home victory against Watford, and will be hoping to do the same on Wednesday night. 

Centre back Ashley Williams will need to work well with his defence partner Mason Holgate to stop the attacking duo. Williams - who has been hailed a leader by his team-mates - replaced John Stones after his move to Manchester City, after a disappointing start to the season, has found form since the arrival of Sam Allardyce. The towering centre half will be hoping he can quell the threat of the Leicester duo this mid-week.

Team News

Everton are without James McCarthy after his unfortunate injury of a double leg break against West Brom last weekend. However, Everton will be boosted with the news that Seamus Coleman is finally back into the first team after ten months out of the side.

Leicester City no longer have Leonardo Ulloa available for their disposal, after they sent him out on loan to Brighton - his previous club - until the end of the season. 

The Foxes' boss Claude Puel could start Robert Huth on Wednesday, after he was on the bench against Peterborough on the FA Cup. 

Potential Everton Starting Lineup: Day; Pickford; Kenny, Holgate, Williams, Martina; Schneiderlin, Walcott, Sigurdsson, Rooney, Vlasic; Tosun.

Potential Leicester City Starting Lineup: Schmiechel; Amartey, Dragovic, Maguire, Chilwell; Mahrez, Ndidi, James, Albrighton; Okazaki; Vardy. 

Prediction

Everton will be hoping to add a win to their January results, but with the pace and creativity of Mahrez, that may prove a little difficult. 

Leicester will be hoping to close the gap on 6th place Arsenal with the three points, however, Everton will be trying to catch Burnley in 8th place. The difference could be Mahrez and Vardy. 

Prediction: Everton 1-3 Leicester City