Ruud van Nistelrooy will take charge of Leicester for the first time since replacing Steve Cooper on Tuesday.
The Foxes come into the busy period of the season after losing their last three, leaving them just a point above the drop zone. One of the biggest challenges that the incoming Dutchman will face is getting Leicester firing in the final third.
Leicester have scored just ten times from an open play xG of 10.55. Defensively, they are narrowly outperforming their xGA of 24.08, allowing 24 goals from 162 shots.
Van Nistelrooy will be without a number of key defensive players this week, with Caleb Okoli and Ricardo Pereira absent until the New Year. However, Connor Coady and James Justin could fill the respective centre-back and right-back positions.
West Ham’s stop-start campaign endured another setback over the previous weekend, as the Hammers were handed a 5-2 home loss to Arsenal. West Ham have now won just once across their last four and have suffered two defeats over that period.
The Hammers have struggled in the final third so far this season, scoring just 13 goals from an xG of 16.77.
However, they have looked more defensively solid in recent weeks, allowing 17 goals from an xGA of 21.48. Julen Lopetegui will once again deploy a 4-1-4-1 formation as the Spanish coach looks to ensure that his side dictates the pace of the game.
Once again, West Ham will be without summer signing Niclas Füllkrug, meaning that Michail Antonio will lead the line.
Bet hereIt could be worth examining the head-to-head record before making a Leicester vs West Ham prediction this week. The Foxes are unbeaten in their last three against the Hammers, winning twice over that period.
A reaction is likely in van Nistelrooy’s first match in charge, and the team could benefit by reverting to a 4-3-3 formation.
The Hammers typically give up a significant number of chances, and that will give the Foxes the chances that they require at the King Power. Therefore, the narrow preference is for Leicester to make a winning start under their new Dutch coach.
Getting the best out of Jamie Vardy will be the first big job for van Nistelrooy. The former England international has scored four in 12 Premier League appearances this season, and is out-scoring his xG of 3.33. Vardy attempts 1.07 shots per 90 minutes, and he already boasts an impressive league record against West Ham.
Interestingly, over 4.5 match cards could be a solid betting angle this week. Leicester average 2.69 yellows per 90, while the Hammers average 2.46 per match. The Foxes have had over 4.5 cards in 54% of their matches this season.
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