Leicester vs Swansea Preview: Classic Encounters, Key Battles, Team News, Prediction & More

Leicester City take on Swansea City at the King Power Stadium on Saturday, hoping to bounce back from midweek defeat to Everton. The Foxes lost 2-1 at Goodison Park, thanks to a Theo Walcott double.

Swansea, on the other hand, will be looking to build on recent results. They followed up a 1-0 win over Liverpool with a midweek 3-1 defeat of Arsenal. The Swans have won 3 of their 5 games under new boss Carlos Carvalhal. 

The last meeting between the two sides ended in a 2-1 victory for Leicester who were then under caretaker manager Michael Appleton.  

Here is everything that you need to know about the 3pm Kick off:

Classic Encounter

Leicester City 4 - 0 Swansea City 

24th April 2016

Mike Hewitt/GettyImages

This was in Leicester's Premier League winning season, and all the speculation leading up to the game was if Leicester could cope without their top scorer Jamie Vardy, following his red card in the 2-2 draw with West Ham the week before. 

The Foxes started quickly with Riyad Mahrez capitalising on an Ashley Williams mistake to put them 1-0 up after just 10 minutes. Leicester managed to double their lead before the break, when Vardy's replacement Leonardo Ulloa stepped up and headed in a freekick from Danny Drinkwater.

Mike Hewitt/GettyImages

Ulloa got his second of the game on the hour mark, with Marc Albrighton adding a fourth, five minutes from time. 

The win meant that Leicester needed a maximum of five more points for the title, although it would later transpire that a draw at Old Trafford the following week was enough for them to achieve what nobody would believe would be possible at the start of the season. 

In the season of 1955/1956 the two teams exchanged 6-1 scorelines. Leicester winning 6-1 on 12th November 1955, with Swansea Town (as they were known then), winning by the same scoreline on 24th March 1956. 

Key Battles

Jamie Vardy vs Alfie Mawson 

It can be argued that Leicester's biggest goal threat is Jamie Vardy. The England striker has 11 goals so far this term, including four goals in his last six games. It will be up to Swansea's defence to keep him quiet, and at the heart of that is Alfie Mawson. Although Leicester will have to keep a close eye on the Center Back at set pieces, as he has scored in his last two appearances against the Foxes. 

Claude Puel vs Carlos Carvalhal

Both managers have come into their clubs during this season, and both look to have had a positive impact. Although Puel has been at Leicester for longer, so has had more time to implement his ideas and playing style, and his slight change of style at Leicester seems to be taking teams by surprise. 

Carvalhal has been at Swansea since the end of 2017, and has seen his team beat both Liverpool and Arsenal in the space of a week. Although his team still currently sit in a relegation spot, and will be looking to change that on Saturday. 

With the distraction of the January transfer window now over, all thoughts can go into planning on how to come out on top in this game. 

Team News

It is still to be seen if Riyad Mahrez will be back in the Leicester fold after trying to force a deadline day move to Manchester City. The Algerian was left out of the squad to face Everton, and is said to be disappointed that a move didn't materialise. Puel will have to decide if the winger is in the right frame of mind to re-enter first team action. 

Captain Wes Morgan is the only other absentee for the Foxes, as he is stepping up his recovery from a hamstring injury. 

Deadline day arrival, Andre Ayew is available to make his return to the Swansea team, having previously played for the Swans between 2015 and 2016. 

Andy King also joined the Swans on deadline day, but will be unavailable for this game, as he is on loan from Leicester. The Welsh midfielder has made almost 400 career appearances for the Foxes. 

Renarto Sanchez is unlikely to be available for the match, due to an ongoing hamstring injury. 

Prediction

The disruption of Transfer deadline day didn't help the Foxes on Wednesday, and they be determined to put that right, either with or without Mahrez. 

Swansea are looking to climb out of the relegation zone, and their last two victories will have given them a massive confidence boost. 

This is a game that could go either way, Leicester have a good record at home against the Swans, having won the last seven encounters in the midlands, and home advantage may just tip the tie their way as they look to close the gap on Arsenal in 6th position.

Prediction 

Leicester 2 - 1 Swansea