Last updated & checked: 10/08/2021
We’d say that Leicester City and Bournemouth are each performing at about the level that’s expected of them thus far this season – although the former has shown hints of greater potential. As it stands for Bournemouth though, this means they are considered significant underdogs here, with results and performances that, for the most part, feel like a reflection of their mediocre results last season.
It’s not that things have been terrible. A draw to Sheffield United was disappointing but they came back with a solid win over Aston Villa. And a follow up loss to Manchester City felt drearily inevitable. Still, that’s hardly a reason for fans to panic. Unfortunately, it just hasn’t been enough to inspire confidence here.
Leicester, on the other hand, started off by showing their resilience, first against Wolves then against Chelsea. They then turned up the heat with a win over Sheffield United and another against Newcastle in the EFL Cup.
Leicester City vs Bournemouth Prediction: Leicester 2-1 Bournemouth
While Bournemouth are far from an also-ran here, we have to go with the facts. And they tell us the Foxes are currently outpacing their upcoming opponents by a significant, if not insurmountable, margin. Therefore, we have to consider them the most likely winners here. However, Bournemouth have proven themselves resilient against very strong teams. Even Manchester City couldn’t walk away with a clean sheet against them. Not only that but Leicester’s last win without conceding a goal in the Premier League was in their astonishing 3-0 victory over Arsenal back in April. With that in mind, our scoreline prediction is 2-1 to the home team.
Our recommended tip: Both teams score
We’ve covered our reasons for this recommended tip in our prediction to an extent. But in addition to the statistics which back up our scoreline prediction, there’s also the motivation of each team behind this game. Both teams feel like they are at a point which could have huge ramifications on their momentum for the rest of the tournament, against a team each capable of victory. That means that we don’t think either is going home without hitting the back of the net. And if you want to bet for Both teams to score, you can get low-risk 13/20 odds from Betway.
Previous matches
Despite having a history which began half a century ago back in 1969, Leicester City and Bournemouth actually haven’t met all that often over the years. Their total fixtures come in at 17 games over all that time. Small though their record may be, it does plenty to back up our belief that this game is likely to be a close one. Leicester hold the slight advantage, but only by two victories. Unfortunately for Bournemouth, one of those came in their last meeting back in March. Still, it’s a much more back-and-forth history than you may expect, and shouldn’t be enough to affect Bournemouth’s confidence too heavily.
Top 3 Premier League Bookies
Players to watch: James Maddison & Philip Billing
Right now, Leicester feel like they are on the cusp of hitting a higher gear and there is no player which provides a finer example of why they are brimming with so much potential than James Maddison. He was astonishing against Chelsea, constantly creating chances and pushing Leicester to dominate the second half. We saw similar brilliance against Sheffield United, once again opening up the defence of his opponent and paving the way for his teammates. Still, he’s yet to taste the back of the net so far this season, and he’s more than earned the right.
To be completely honest, we don’t think Bournemouth’s season so far has produced much in the way of star-making performances. However, that is not to discount the efforts of many in the team. Philip Billing is a perfect example. His passing accuracy and ability to open up the game – not to mention his own powerful striking ability – has really kept Bournemouth alive during a shaky opening season.
