Leicester v Tottenham: Foxes unlikely to be outfought in 90 minutes

Michael Lintorn
19 January 2016

Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri has rarely faced disappointment against Tottenham

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Tottenham shouldn't be favourites away to Leicester in their FA Cup third-round replay, says Michael Lintorn...

"Tottenham have won a mere one of their previous eight away FA Cup ties – suffering three defeats in six – whereas the Foxes have prevailed to nil in four of their past five in front of their fans."

Back Leicester to win (draw no bet) @ 2.166/5

Leicester 3.02/1 v Tottenham 2.568/5; The Draw 3.55
Wednesday, 19:45
Live on BBC One

Leicester

A 1-0 Premier League victory over Tottenham at White Hart Lane seven days before this FA Cup third-round replay aside, Leicester's form since Christmas has been disappointing in comparison to the way they were performing before this recent run of one win in six in all competitions.

They remain ridiculously difficult to beat though, losing just once in that period, making the defeat count throughout 2015/16 a remarkable two in 26 encounters. To put that improvement into context, their total at the same stage last term was seven-and-a-half times larger with 15 reverses.

The cups might not be a priority given that they stand such a realistic chance of qualifying for Europe through league position and Claudio Ranieri has rotated his squad accordingly. However, the second string have been competitive, seeing off West Ham in the Capital One Cup and falling an 89th-minute Harry Kane penalty short of dumping Tottenham out of the FA Cup in north London.

Tottenham

Spurs have been haunted lately by a familiar enemy - one who played a significant part in their failure to secure a top-four finish in any of the past three seasons: the double home hiccup in which they drop points twice in quick succession at the Lane.

It seemed to have finally evaded them when they lost none of their opening eight league games as hosts, but two flops in three against Newcastle and these opponents have perhaps tempered title ambitions and reasserted holding off the likes of Manchester United for fourth as the main aim.

With plenty at stake in both the top flight and the Europa League, it is hard to know how high the FA Cup ranks on Mauricio Pochettino's to-do list, though it was elevated enough for him to rate flinging Dele Alli and Kane on to salvage the initial contest worthwhile. Changes are anticipated, yet there won't be many enforced by injury as Ryan Mason and Nabil Bentaleb are the only reported doubts.

Match Odds

Ranieri is unbeaten in a dozen career Premier League or FA Cup meetings with Tottenham - winning eight and drawing four - and while you might wish to undermine that record by claiming that his Chelsea squad for nine of those clashes was superior to its Spurs equivalent, three of them have been in the last six months as Leicester boss against this pretty impressive Lilywhites ensemble.

The Londoners have won a mere one of their previous eight away FA Cup ties - suffering three defeats in six - whereas the Foxes have prevailed to nil in four of their past five in front of their fans.

The home side are also on a sequence of one loss in 14 at the King Power Stadium, to Premier League leaders Arsenal, and have triumphed in eight of those, so they look like more plausible 90-minute winners at 3.02/1 than their guests do at 2.568/5.

However, the draw has to be treated as a serious possibility at 3.55. It was the outcome of six of Spurs' last 12 away days and four of Leicester's last five fixtures at any venue - and three in four in the east midlands - while two of the pair's three head-to-head collisions this season ended level and the other was decided in the 83rd minute.

For that reason, two more attractive alternatives to backing Ranieri's men outright are either siding with them in the draw no bet market at 2.166/5 - assuring you of a refunded stake if 90 minutes isn't enough to determine who progresses - or to qualify for a fourth-round trip to Colchester at 2.0621/20.

Recommended Bet:

Back Leicester to win (draw no bet) @ 2.166/5

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