Preview: Leicester v Wolves – another big test
Wolves face their 'local derby' of the season when they travel to take on Leicester City tomorrow.
Wolves correspondent Tim Spiers previews the King Power Stadium clash.
Preamble
Nuno Espirito Santo's dream became real last weekend – and now reality will start to hit home.
By their own admission the players perhaps played the occasion when they kicked off Wolves’ first Premier League campaign for six years with a 2-2 draw against Everton.
Ruben Neves said there were nerves beforehand and Nuno told the players afterwards that they needed to calm down and were, perhaps, trying too hard.
All things considered – especially after twice going behind and considered the standard of opposition – it was an encouraging opening-day point.
There’s no hiding place in the Premier League – and no let up in terms of the quality of opposition.
Leicester have two England players (Jamie Vardy and Harry Maguire), a top-rated Premier League keeper (Kasper Schmeichel), a midfielder worth £22million (Adrien Silva), one of the best players Wolves faced last season (£25m signing from Norwich James Maddison and potential big stars of the future such as Demarai Gray and Kelechi Iheanacho.
No easy task, then. And the last thing Nuno and his boys will want is to lose tomorrow ahead of fixtures against Manchester City (h) and West Ham (a) before the international break.
But Wolves are a team bristling with confidence and keen to prove to the watching nation that they can compete and thrive in this division.
They were the best away side in the Championship last season, earning five points more than anyone else, and with their organised line up ideally set up to soak up pressure – and then hit teams on the counter through the pace of Jota, Costa et all, they could get plenty of joy on the road this season too.
We'll start to find out that – and a lot more besides – tomorrow afternoon. It will make for fascinating viewing.
Team news
Jamie Vardy was on the bench for Leicester's opener at Manchester United owing to a late return after the World Cup, but boss Claude Puel says the England striker has a 'good chance' of starting against Wolves.
Shinji Okazaki and Matty James are both sidelined and new £19m defender Caglar Soyuncu, who moved from Freiburg before the transfer deadline, isn't yet ready to feature despite being handed a work permit yesterday.
Wolves are missing Ivan Cavaleiro, who has a back problem and has been told to rest.
New £30m pair Adama Traore and Leander Dendoncker have both trained this week and Nuno must decide if the pair are fit enough to be involved.
The Portuguese head coach could name the same XI that drew 2-2 with Everton. Romain Saiss would be the likely beneficiary should he decide to tighten things up after two poor goals were conceded against the Toffees.
Likely line ups
Leicester (4-2-3-1): Schmeichel; Amartey, Morgan, Maguire, Chilwell; Silva, Ndidi; Pereira, Maddison, Gray; Vardy.
Wolves (3-4-3): Patricio; Bennett, Coady, Boly; Doherty, Moutinho, Neves, Otto; Costa, Jimenez, Jota. Subs: Ruddy, Saiss, Dendoncker, Vinagre, Gibbs-White, Traore, Bonatini.
Key players
Leicester – Jamie Vardy
Without doubt a Leicester City legend. Vardy has spend six years with the club – spurning moves elsewhere – and has now scored 90 goals for the Foxes including one from the bench against Manchester United last week. Should be restored to the starting XI tomorrow and will be a huge threat.
Wolves – Willy Boly
The French centre half was a man mountain last season but Boly made some uncharacteristic errors in last week’s 2-2 draw with Everton. He’ll need to improve against Vardy & Co.
The bosses
Claude Puel: "It will be a tough game for us. We need to perform to bring confidence for our team."
Nuno Espirito Santo: "Honestly, we believe there is no big change (going from the Championship to Premier League). But we have to think about ourselves and we proved ourselves that we deserve to be here. Our routines are the same. But we have to be better than we were last season."
Form
Leicester (including pre-season) LWDLD
Aug 10, 1-2 v Man United (a)
Aug 4, 2-1 v Lille (a)
Aug 1, 1-1 v Valencia (h)
July 28, 1-2 v Udinese (n)
July 25, 0-0 v Akhisarspor (n)
Wolves (including pre-season) DWLDD
Aug 11, 2-2 v Everton (h)
Aug 4, 2-1 v Villarreal (h)
July 28, 1-2 v Derby (a)
July 25, 0-0 v Stoke (a)
July 22, 0-0 v Real Betis (n) (45-min match)
Past five meetings
Jan 31, 2013 (Ch): Leicester 2 (Knockaert 24, Nugent 73) Wolves 1 (Sako 51)
Sep 16, 2012 (Ch): Wolves 2 (Ebanks-Blake 13, Stearman 21) Leicester 1 (Konchesky 70)
Dec 22, 2007 (Ch): Wolves 1 (Jarvis 73) Leicester 1 (Hume 4)
Oct 2, 2007 (Ch): Leicester 0 Wolves 0
May 6, 2007 (Ch): Leicester 1 (Hume 3) Wolves 4 (Olofinjana 25, Kightly 33, McAuley OG 53, Keogh pen 86)
Referee
Mike Dean (Wirral)
Enthusiastic 50-year-old known for his effervescent gestures, flamboyant facial expressions and occasional celebrations for giving an advantage that leads to a goal. Is also a referee.
Dean took charge of 30 games last season, showing 113 yellows and four reds. He gave Cardiff two penalties in four minutes against Wolves in the unforgettable 1-0 win for Nuno's team last April.
Match odds
Leicester 21/20, draw 5/2, Wolves 14/5
