If after the presentation of the schedule for the 2015-2016 season someone had said that in the 14th round match between the clubs "Leicester City" and "Manchester United" the two strongest teams of the Premier League would compete, that person would have been at least offered to return to reality. However, approaching winter, this is the reality of the English championship. Probably imagining "Manchester United" in the second place of the tournament table was not so difficult, but the "Leicester City" team already surprised everyone in the fight among the teams fighting for survival.
The good performance of the team in the Premier League started much earlier than the whistle of this season's start. In April, while occupying the last place in the standings, "Leicester City" started a performance that no other Premier League team could match. During this period, 15 victories were won in 22 matches, five matches ended in a draw, and only two losses were suffered. What determined such a good performance of the "Foxes"? "Eurofootball.com" highlights five factors that most contributed to these excellent results.
1. Favorable schedule. During their 22 matches, "Leicester City" did not face the strongest English teams. During this series, they had to face the "Chelsea" club last year (resulting in a loss), while this year the team had to compete with the "Tottenham Hotspur" (resulting in a draw) and "Arsenal" (resulting in a loss) clubs. The schedule waiting until the end of the first round ("Manchester United," "Swansea," "Chelsea," "Everton," "Liverpool," and "Manchester City") seems even more difficult and should cause many more serious problems for the "Leicester City" team.
2. Phenomenal results against mid-table and bottom teams. Although the Premier League always boasts of capable machinery that can bite the teams in the middle or even at the bottom of the tournament table, the current leaders of the English championship demonstrate just incredible results against these teams. From the 22-match series, excluding the three matches with the mentioned clubs, the results become even more impressive - 15 victories, 4 draws, and not a single loss (!).
3. Unbreakable character. This season, "Leicester City" shows a very fighting style and never gives up. When the team took the lead, they lost the advantage only once - in the match against the "Arsenal" club. The remaining 6 times, the team celebrated the victory. However, the team also plays just as well when they concede a goal first. Trailing by one goal, they celebrated the victory once, and twice ended the match in a draw. The team did not experience defeat even when opponents sent two accurate shots to their goal first. In those cases, the team also fought two times to draw and once extended the victory.
4. Excellent full-back play. The team's full-backs Marc Albrighton and Riyad Mahrez are two of the most underrated players in the Premier League. Albrighton has already scored a goal and made five assists this season, and his colleague shows even better results. Last year, a player who arrived at the team for a laughable half-million euros, by Premier League standards, did not manage to stand out, but 4 goals and 3 assists during the season are not a bad result for a full-back. However, it must be admitted that last year's performance outshines what the Algerian national team member demonstrates this year - 7 goals and 5 assists in just twelve matches. No other Premier League full-back can match such results.
5. Jamie Vardy. The striker is the most mentioned player of "Leicester City" in the press, and there is a reason for that. Vardy not only scored in ten consecutive matches but also did not leave a game without a goal or an assist this season. Looking for other players with such achievements is simply not worth it - the Englishman demonstrates such stability that not only the Premier League stars cannot match, but also the best World footballers playing in other strongest European leagues. Quite impressive for a player who, before joining the "Leicester City" ranks in 2012, had played only in the fifth-ranked league in terms of strength in England.
Can "Leicester City" continue to amaze everyone and fight for the top spots in the Premier League? We will be able to find the first answers to this question before the New Year, after this tough series of matches is over.
"Leicester City" and "Manchester United" club clash - today at 19:30.
Tautvydas Sakalauskas
