Afternoon all. With the greatest of respect,
Leicester City vs. Watford was not a game that exactly whetted the appetite when the fixtures were released in the summer. But, after the way that both sides have started the season, we could well have an entertaining encounter at the King Power Stadium on our hands. Let's hope so!
First of all, though, let's take a look at the team news shall we? Starting with the home side...
LEICESTER XI: Schmeichel; Simpson, Huth, Morgan, Fuchs; Albrighton, Kante, Drinkwater, Schlupp, Mahrez; Vardy
LEICESTER SUBS: Schwarzer, King, Okazaki, Ulloa, Dyer, Benalouane, Inler
Notoriously one for tinkering with his team, Claudio Ranieri has made just the one change to his Leicester starting lineup. Christian Fuchs has come into the team at the expense of Leonardo Ulloa, which in turn has seen Jeff Schlupp pushed further forward. Unsurprisingly, the clinical
Jamie Vardy will lead the attack as he looks to score in his ninth successive Premier League game.
And now for the visiting Hornets...
WATFORD XI: Gomes; Nyom, Britos, Cathcart, Ake; Capoue, Watson; Abdi, Deeney, Anya; Ighalo
WATFORD SUBS: Arlauskis, odl, Holebas, Paredes, Behrami, Guedioura, Diamanti
For the third game in a row, Watford head coach Quique Sanchez Flores has opted to name an unchanged side. It means that Odion Ighalo will play up front, with skipper
Troy Deeney offering the support. Remember, nobody has scored more goals in England's top four leagues in 2015 than Ighalo. Elsewhere, Ben Watson will partner Etienne Capoue in the heart of the midfield.
Talking of Vardy and Ighalo, we will actually have the Premier League's three leading goalscorers this season on the pitch. Vardy has 11 to his name, while Ighalo has netted seven times. Let's not forget Leicester's Riyad Mahrez either because he has also scored seven goals this term. Surely today it's not going to be 0-0?!
There may be eight places and six points between these two teams at the start of play, but speaking to reporters during the week, Leicester boss Ranieri insisted that it was difficult to decide which side was better.
"Now arrives a very particular team because in their last six away matches, they were very strong – be careful, beware.
"They are like us. They are strong and they play very well on the counter attack and press a lot. "I'm sure they will get better. It's a mirror – Leicester and Watford."
Ranieri mentions Watford's away form there and he is right to be wary. They've collected eight points from their five away matches this term, which for a newly-promoted outfit is a respectable return.
But, Flores has been quick to demand that his players do not get carried away by the positive start that they have made to the campaign.
"I feel the group is confident in what we do but we must be humble. We can't think that against Leicester the game won't be tough," he told reporters.
"It was normal that everyone thought we would be candidates for relegation because we were a newly promoted team. Our advantage in respect to other teams is we can go match by match. We don't have the Champions League or the Europa League."
Right, the two managers have had their say, but what about the chaps on the
Sports Mole Sofa? Hit 'play' below to hear their thoughts:
RECORD HUNTING! Let's talk a little bit about Vardy, shall we? The former Fleetwood Town man has certainly been impossible to ignore over recent weeks. Last time out he joined Daniel Sturridge and Ruud van Nistelrooy as the only players to have scored in eight successive Premier League matches. What a goal as well, as he showed great pace and then composure against West Brom. Now, he's got Van Nistelrooy in his sights again. The ex-Man United striker is the only player to have scored in 10 games on the trot - can Vardy beat him? It's a big ask, but on current form, why not?!
As for the man himself, here is what he told reporters about his hot streak: "Everything I'm touching is going in. Long may that continue. That's how every striker should feel otherwise there's no point in being a striker, it's as simple as that.
"That's what I get paid for - to put the ball in the back of the net. But I need my team-mates as well. They've been brilliant at backing me up."
HEAD TO HEAD: If recent previous meetings are anything to go by, Watford fans will not be overly confident here. They have beaten the Foxes just once in their last eight visits, while overall there have just been just four victories in the last 25 league games.
Of course, one of Watford's wins came in the Championship playoffs two years ago. What a game this was! You can relive it courtesy of
Sky Sports News reporter Johnny Phillips:
If Watford can repeat that result today, they could potentially end the weekend in the top half of the table. After 12 games, that's some achievement. Meanwhile, Leicester amazingly have Man City and Arsenal in view on the horizon. They go into this match three points behind that duo.
PREDICTION! With the amount of in-form goalscorers that are on the pitch, I'll be amazed if this ends 0-0. These are two good footballing sides, but I fancy the home side to just edge it. Let's say 2-1 Leicester with Vardy keeping up his goal record.
Right, the players are in the tunnel area and are preparing to head out. Not long now until we are off and running at the King Power Stadium.
KICKOFF! Game on as visiting Watford get proceedings underway.
An early worry for Leicester as the lively Ighalo breaks clear. However, his route to goal is eventually blocked by a combination of the retreating Robert Huth and Fuchs and the danger passes.
Someone that has started the game well is Leicester midfielder Danny Drinkwater. He may not get the headlines that some of his more attack-minded teammates do, but he's still a key member of this team. On more than one occasion already he's started attacks with accurate passes out wide.
SAVE! A good move from Watford ends with Capoue getting possession on the edge of the box. The midfielder goes for goal instantly and while his low shot has plenty of power, it's straight at Kasper Schmeichel, who holds well.
We've seen very little from Leicester in an attacking sense so far. Watford are defending in numbers and it's tough to break down.
That's a little bit better from Leicester as Vardy flicks the ball over his shoulder for Mahrez to race away down the right wing. His cross is directed towards Drinkwater inside the area, but Watford defender Nyom rises highest to clear.
POST! So close for Watford and Ighalo, who must have thought that he had scored his eighth Premier League goal of the season. The Nigerian striker's first touch is perfect, while his second is a dipping half-volley that crashes against the base of the post. The rebound then falls for Abdi, but his effort is tipped over by Schmeichel.
It must be said that Watford are much the better of the two sides right now. Capoue has just had another effort from distance. It flies wide, but he was given so much time by the Leicester defence.
SAVE! And just as I say that, Leicester spring into life. It's great footwork from Albrighton on the edge of the box to create the chance for himself. However, the shot with his weaker left foot is weak and easily collected by Gomes. Even so, at least it's a sign of intent from the home team.
Meanwhile, up the other end, Watford are looking sharp on the counter-attack. But, with Ighalo out wide, Abdi's dangerous cross towards the back post is easy for the Leicester defence to clear.
Remember when I said that goals will be guaranteed today? Well, I take that back! Apart from Ighalo hitting the post, entertainment in both penalty areas has been at a premium.
SAVE! That was Vardy's moment to make it nine Premier League games on the trot. He's picked out by Kante, only for Gomes to read his low shot from the edge of the area. The expression on the England international's face tells you that he feels he should have done better with that.
Great defending from Leicester skipper Wes Morgan, who has just prevented Deeney from surely giving Watford the lead. It seems that Ighalo's cross is perfect for Deeney six yards from goal, but just as he pulls his head back to power goalwards, Morgan leaps to glance clear the danger.
HALF-TIME: LEICESTER 0-0 WATFORD
Well, after much promise, that was rather dull! Watford have perhaps been the better of the two sides, but neither of them has produced the sort of performances that they have been showing in recent weeks.
The home side have been particularly disappointing, with neither Vardy nor Mahrez having much of an impact on the game. If truth be told, they look a little sluggish. Towards the end of the half Ranieri moved Schlupp inside and sent Mahrez out wide, so it will be interesting to see if that alteration is the key to unlocking the Watford door after the restart.
In the other dressing room, Flores is likely to be pleased with what he has seen from his players. They've offered a little bit of a threat on the counter-attack, while perhaps the reason why Leicester's key men have been so quiet is down to the fact that the Hornets have defended so stoutly.
STAT! Watford fans, you may want to avert your eyes:
RESTART! Leicester, who get us back underway at the King Power Stadium, have made a change during the break. Schlupp is the man that has been taken off, with Japan international Shinji Okazaki coming on to replace him.
SAVE! Big opening for Leicester at the start of the second half. Mahrez threads a clever pass through for Albrighton, who is ahead of his marker Nyom. Having sorted out his feet 16 yards from goal the Leicester winger takes aim, but his shot is not causing many problems for Gomes when it really should have.
GOAL! LEICESTER 1-0 WATFORD (KANTE)
Mr Gomes will not want to see replays of this goal, that's for sure. It seemed that Leicester midfielder Kante had taken too much time inside the penalty area, but he was still able to poke the ball goalwards. It was straight at the Watford goalkeeper, only somehow the Brazilian allowed the effort to squirm through his hands and roll into the net. That is shades of Gomes from his Tottenham days! Leicester don't care as the King Power erupts.
Further replays of that Kante goal shows just how big of an error it was from Gomes. The ball hit both of his hands and then his knee before it trickled over the line. What a nightmare!
CHANCE! Vardy, who is limping with a groin injury, breaks free of the Watford defence. He ends up inside the Watford penalty area, only for his shot to be blocked by a sliding Britos. Leicester are certainly in the ascendancy now.
PENALTY TO LEICESTER!
GOAL! LEICESTER 2-0 WATFORD (VARDY, PEN)
Vardy's remarkable run in front of goal continues! Firstly, it goes from bad to worse for Gomes as he wipes out the Leicester striker inside the area. In truth, he's lucky to escape with just a booking! Mahrez puts the ball on the spot, but after discussions, Vardy steps up to take the kick. There's nothing flash about his effort - he simply smashes in down the middle to make it 2-0. That's now nine Premier League games on the trot that the Leicester frontman has scored in - fantastic achievement.
WATFORD SUB: First change of the afternoon for Watford as Capoue trudges off. He's been replaced by Paredes.
PENALTY TO WATFORD!
GOAL! LEICESTER 2-1 WATFORD (DEENEY, PEN)
Game on! It's an instant impact from Paredes, who capitalises on a poor touch from Kante and is then clumsily brought down by the Leicester midfielder. While Vardy went for power, up the other end Deeney calmly stroked the resultant penalty into the bottom corner. Watford are alive and kicking.
SAVE! If you were wondering how Leicester would respond to that Watford goal, the answer is positively. Mahrez cuts inside and sees his curling effort parried behind by Gomes from a corner. Then, moments later the Algerian fires well over from close range. Meanwhile, just after Deeney's penalty, Diamanti came on to replace Nyom.
LEICESTER SUB: Second change of the encounter for Leicester as a weary looking Mahrez comes off, with his place being taken by Nathan Dyer.
Watford are having a lot of the ball in the Leicester half, but they are struggling to break the home team down. It seems that they are running out of ideas.
LEICESTER SUB: A very good performance from Drinkwater comes to an end, with Andy King coming on to replace him in the Leicester midfield.
There will be four minutes of stoppage time at the end of this contest. Can Leicester hold out?
As far as Leicester are concerned, the ball is in the right part of the pitch. They've spent the last minute or so near the Watford corner flag.
FULL TIME: LEICESTER 2-1 WATFORD
What a season Leicester and Vardy are having! This win puts them joint top of the Premier League with Arsenal and Man City, who play later this weekend. As for Vardy, he is now one short of Van Nistelrooy's Premier League record.
That's all we have time for from the King Power Stadium. Thanks for joining us this afternoon and until next time, goodbye.