Leicester vs Liverpool betting preview: odds and predictions

TWO teams with vastly different objectives go head to head in Monday Night Football this week.

Leicester vs Liverpool odds

Here are the latest match odds for Leicester vs Liverpool:

Leicester vs Liverpool betting preview

It’s testament to the Premier League that so many games at this stage of the season still have something riding on them and this one shouldn’t disappoint.

Having lost nine and won just one of their last 13, Leicester find themselves in deep trouble. With just three games to go, they sit two points from safety.

Liverpool, meanwhile, are buoyant, a run of six straight wins reigniting hopes of Champions League football next season. They have closed the gap on the top four to just a single point, although they have played a game more than stuttering Manchester United.

Mo Salah has found form at the right time, scoring eight goals in his last eight starts, and he should be relishing facing a Leicester defence which has now gone 20 games without a clean sheet, shipping seven in the last two games alone.

The Foxes have looked rather too open under Dean Smith, who clearly feels they can play their way out of trouble, although doing so against Liverpool make prove difficult.

Smith has placed trust in Jamie Vardy of late and the former England man has looked dangerous. Perhaps he can have some joy against what is usually a fairly high back line employed by Jurgen Klopp. Vardy is around 5/2 to score.

With Liverpool having conceded three against Spurs and two against Forest recently, goals can be expected in this contest – both teams to score has landed each of Smith’s five games in charge so far.

Adding that option to an away win looks arguably the best bet for this match.

Best betting offers for Leicester vs Liverpool

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Leicester vs Liverpool key stats

• Liverpool have won six in a row to boost their top-four hopes and are unbeaten in eight in total.
• Leicester have won just one of their last 13 – a 2-1 victory over Wolves in Dean Smith’s first home game in charge.
• Liverpool striker Mo Salah has scored in seven of his last eight starts.
• Leicester have gone 20 Premier League games without a clean sheet, their last coming away to West Ham on November 12.
• Naby Keita and Roberto Firmino remain absent from the Liverpool squad for this one. For Leicester, Kelechi Iheanacho is out but Ricardo Pereira is back in training and could return.

Leicester vs Liverpool best bets

Liverpool to win and both teams to score

Liverpool hold the cards here in form terms. They’ve won six in a row; Leicester just one in 13.

The Foxes have been poor defensively against both Everton and Fulham in the past fortnight and surely won’t be relishing facing Mo Salah and co.

The visitors should win but to get a decent price, let’s add both teams to score to the mix – that’s occurred in four of Liverpool’s five away wins so far and it’s also landed in nine of Leicester’s last 10 games, including all of those under Dean Smith’s management.

Over 26.5 shots

Leicester have been pretty open under Dean Smith – his philosophy has clearly not been to try to keep things tight and grind their way to survival.

The total-shots tallies during his games in charge have been 37-38-29-31-23 and however this unfolds, it’s easy to envisage at least one side pushing hard.

Leicester are desperate to haul themselves out of the drop zone and with time running out will simply have to come forward if they fall behind.

Meanwhile, Liverpool know they can’t afford any slip-ups if they are to keep their Champions League hopes alive and certainly have the tools to push on if they are in need of a goal.

James Maddison to be carded

Only four Premier League players have collected more cards than Maddison this season – he now has 10 in 26 starts (plus another in an FA Cup tie).

It’s hard to imagine Joao Palhinha or Ruben Neves going off at 7/2 in this market these days but that’s the case with Maddison.

Carded twice in his last six against the Reds, Maddison has looked stressed and annoyed by his side’s plight in recent games and so he could well attract ref Craig Pawson’s attention.

How to watch Leicester vs Liverpool

• Location: King Power Stadium, Leicester, England.
• Time: Monday, May 15, 20:00 BST.
• Where to watch: Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event

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