The Premier League 2015/16 season has thrown up some unexpected contenders in the title race, and Leicester City rules the roost in that race. Crystal Palace, Watford, and even Bournemouth, are the other contenders.
We see one of these two giant killers pitted against each other in Gameweek 20 in the EPL today. Leicester, who have had a dream of a season so far, take on Bournemouth at the King Power Stadium on Saturday, 2 December, 2016.
Leicester just lost out to Arsenal to enter the new calendar year as the second-place team in the table. They were the No. 1 from the start and they finished Gameweek 18 also as the first-placed team in the Premier League table. However, a 1-0 defeat against Liverpool and a goalless draw against Manchester City on Tuesday, saw them move down a posititon.
Nevertheless, at home, Claudio Ranieri's men will once again be expected to showcase some good football skills to start the year with a win. "You would love it if I said 'we are champions'. No, I say 'we want to beat Bournemouth'," the Leicester City boss said ahead of the game.
"At the beginning of last season we were only talking about relegation, this season it's top of the league. It's important to maintain the right balance. We can say 'start to win the title' but it's not our job, our job is to win the next match.
"The other [clubs'] jobs are to win the title. We have to fight for the next match and we want to win. That's our philosophy," the Italian coach gave a thorough explanation.
Leicester might look the favourites on-paper, but take nothing away from Bournemouth. The Cherries, currently 16th in the table, created history earlier this season by defeating Premier League defending champions Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Again, in the next match itself, they defeated Manchester United.
"2015 was a year I am sure will be remembered by everybody, it has been one of milestones for the club, and we hope to make more," Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe said. "The big one [milestone] will be to stay in the league, that is our target and is what we are trying to achieve in the second half of the season."
Bournemouth's last win over Leicester was a 2-1 win in Division Two in March 1989.
Possible starting XI
Leicester: Schmeichel; Morgan, Huth, Simpson, Fuchs; King, Kante, Mahrez, Albrighton; Okazaki, Vardy.
Bournemouth: Boruc; Francis, Cook, Daniels, Smith; Surman, Arter, Gosling; Stanislas, Ritchie, King.
Where to watch the game
Leicester City vs Bournemouth is scheduled to kick-off at 3 pm GMT (8:30 pm IST, 10 am EST) on Saturday, 2 January.
In India, UK and Ireland, radio commentary of the game will be available on TalkSport Radio World.
In the US, viewers can catch the game on the NBC Sports Network (Premier League Extra Time). Online streaming will be available on NBC Sports Live Extra. Radio commentary of the game will be available on Westwood One Sports.
