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Leicester host Aston Villa after defeating Tranmere 4-0 in the second round of the English Carabao Cup on Tuesday. It's time to continue with our Premier League odds series with a Leicester-Aston Villa prediction and pick.
Leicester sits just 15th in the Premier League table after drawing Tottenham and falling to Fulham. However, manager Steve Cooper will hope that his side's dominant victory over the Rovers will help it gain momentum. New arrivals Jordan Ayew and Oliver Skipp played well, with Ayew getting on the scoresheet. The Foxes, though, may struggle defensively against Villa, as they've only kept one clean sheet in their last 25 Premier League matches. They'll likely have to rely on Jamie Vardy and the attack to have a chance in this one.
Villa, on the other hand, sits 12th in the table with three points. Unai Emery's squad beat West Ham 2-1 on opening day but lost 2-0 to Arsenal in the second match. Additionally, the Villains are better rested, as they have yet to play any non-league games. If they're to finish in the top six, though, as Emery desires, they can't drop points to inferior teams like Leicester. Striker Ollie Watkins, who led the club in scoring last year, must also break his scoring drought for the attack to function at its fullest potential. The 28-year-old hasn't bagged a goal in seven league matches.
Here are the Premier League odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
Premier League Odds: Leicester-Aston Villa Odds
Leicester: +360
Aston Villa: -135
Draw: +280
Over 2.5 goals: -145
Under 2.5 goals: +108
How to Watch Leicester vs. Aston Villa
Time: 10:00 AM ET/7:00 AM PT
TV: Peacock
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
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Why Leicester Will Win
The 37-year-old Vardy is still productive, as he scored the equalizer against Tottenham and has been active in front of goal. The veteran Englishman's pace will make him a threat, especially with Villa defenders Tyrone Mings and Matty Cash sidelined. First-team midfielder Boubacar Kamara, who could have played for France in EURO 2024 were it not for his February ACL injury, is also still rehabbing. This will allow Harry Winks and Wilfred Ndidi slightly more breathing room to build up attacks for the Foxes, as Kamara is a defensive-minded player. The new combination of Vardy and Ayew up top could be a handful as well.
Why Aston Villa Will Win
The Villains have the superior roster, with players like Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, Belgium midfielders Youri Tielemans and Amadou Onana, Jamaica winger Leon Bailey, and former England U-21 forward Morgan Rogers all filling out the squad. Watkins, of course, is included in England's national team as well. Even with their injuries, the imbalance in quality should lead to a victory for Villa, and it'll be especially after the Gunners' loss. The Villains finished fourth in the Premier League last year for a reason, as this is far from the middling squad of the 2010s. Watkins will also be hungry to break his scoring drought against a subpar defense.
Final Leicester-Aston Villa Prediction & Pick
The Foxes may get on the scoresheet, but Villa should win this one. Even with Arsenal being top-class, the Villains were still able to create two golden chances for him in the loss, and he's unlikely to squander good opportunities against a less-skilled side. Wout Faes and Jannik Vestergaard aren't bad players in central defense for Leicester, but they'll almost certainly give up some chances against a Villa side with so many threats. Additionally, Emery has fared well away from the West Midlands, as only Man City (23) and Arsenal (20) have won more away games than the Villains (15) since he took over two years ago. Expect more of the same here.
Final Leicester-Aston Villa Prediction & Pick: Aston Villa ML (-135)
