Fulham vs Leicester Preview

• Draw
• Muniz to score

Fulham’s Quest for Redemption at Home

For the second consecutive season, Fulham kicked off their Premier League campaign with a 1-0 scoreline in an away match.

However, unlike last year’s victory, this time they suffered a narrow defeat against Manchester United. Manager Marco Silva expressed his frustration, pointing out that his team lost “emotional control” at crucial moments during the match.

Silva also highlighted the significant challenge his side faces, as they are likely the only Premier League team to have sold four starting players during the summer transfer window.

Despite the departures, Fulham has been active in the transfer market, bringing in players like Emile Smith Rowe from Arsenal, who made his debut against Manchester United. As they prepare for their first home game of the season, the Cottagers are still working to bolster their squad.

Fulham fans will be hoping that the new additions can help turn around their home form, which was poor at the end of last season. The team failed to win any of their final four home league matches (D1, L3), managing to score just two goals across those fixtures.

Leicester City’s Return to the Premier League

Leicester City marked their return to the Premier League with a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Tottenham Hotspur on Monday night.

The Foxes came from behind to secure a point just hours after confirming the signing of Oliver Skipp from Tottenham. The headlines, however, were stolen by veteran striker Jamie Vardy, who at 37 years old, continues to be a key player for Leicester.

His equaliser against Spurs was crucial, and manager Steve Cooper believes the result should instil belief and confidence in his team as they navigate their return to the top-flight.

However, Leicester’s recent record against Fulham is less than encouraging. The Foxes have won only one of their last four head-to-head encounters with Fulham (L3) and just one of their last seven meetings at Craven Cottage (D2, L4).

Improving their away form will be critical for Leicester this season, especially considering that poor performances on the road were a major factor in their relegation during the 2022/23 campaign.

Leicester ended that season without a win in their final eight away league matches (D3, L5), including a 5-3 defeat at Craven Cottage.

Key Players to Watch

Rodrigo Muniz (Fulham): The Brazilian forward has been a crucial contributor for Fulham at Craven Cottage, scoring four of the last seven home league goals for the Cottagers.

Notably, all of these goals were scored between the 30th and 65th minutes, making him a key player to watch, particularly in the middle third of the match.

Jamie Vardy (Leicester City): Jamie Vardy continues to defy age with his prolific goal-scoring. Having scored more Premier League goals since turning 30 than any other player, Vardy remains Leicester’s talisman.

He has netted three of his last five competitive goals between the 50th and 70th minute, a period during which he is particularly dangerous.

Conclusion

As Fulham host Leicester City at Craven Cottage, both teams will be eager to secure their first win of the season.

Fulham will look to their new signings to inject fresh energy and creativity into the squad, hoping to reverse their poor home form from the end of last season.

On the other hand, Leicester will aim to build on their solid start and improve their dismal away record, which was a key factor in their relegation just a season ago.

With key players like Rodrigo Muniz and Jamie Vardy in the spotlight, this match promises to be an exciting and closely contested affair.

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Fulham v Leicester, 2024/25 | Premier League