Newcastle United vs Leicester City

The stakes could not be higher for Newcastle United and Leicester City as the two sides lock horns in a season-defining Premier League fixture at St James’ Park.

Following more than a decade of longing, Newcastle brought European football back to Tyneside with a 4-1 demolition of Brighton last time out, yet landing a first Champions League qualification in over 20 years remains the club’s ultimate goal. Despite blowing hot and cold across their last three Premier League matches (W1, D1, L1), the ‘Magpies’ come into the penultimate round in the driver’s seat to ensure a top-four finish, boasting a three-point lead on fifth-placed Liverpool. Completing a first league double over Leicester since 1994/95 following a 3-0 win in the reverse fixture would seal the deal for Eddie Howe’s high-flyers. Adding to the St James’ Park faithful’s optimism, the hosts have on their final home league game in seven of the last nine seasons (L2).

In stark contrast to Newcastle’s eye-catching season, Leicester City are on the verge of being relegated to the Championship only seven years after lifting the Premier League crown against the odds. Since a come-from-behind 2-1 home win over Wolverhampton in April, Dean Smith’s men have won none of their last four league matches (D2, L2), conceding an alarming average of 2.75 goals per game in the process. If that’s not enough to dampen the spirits in the visiting camp, the ‘Foxes’ haven’t won their final away league game in any of the last eight seasons (D3, L5), casting further doubt on their bid to defy an ominously-looking four-game away H2H form against Newcastle in the Premier League (W1, L3). Furthermore, the visitors have conceded a whopping 41 goals on their league travels this season, their most in a season since letting 44 in the 2010/11 Championship campaign.