Leicester have a top-four aim while Sheffield United are facing relegation. Tom Carnduff has two best bets for their game on Sunday, and is fresh off a 9/2 winner on Saturday.
Football betting tips: Leicester v Sheffield United
1pt Phil Jagielka to be shown a card at 39/5 (Sporting Index)
1pt Ethan Ampadu to be shown a card at 13/2 (Unibet)
Confirmation of relegation is creeping closer for Sheffield United. The Blades have to make up an eight-point gap between themselves and safety across their final ten games. They need 2.1 points per game to hit the 35 points mark that kept Aston Villa up last season - they have averaged 0.5 points per game across the season so far.
This is a game between two sides weighed down with significant injuries. Chris Wilder has hardly had a full strength defence to pick from throughout the entire campaign with Leicester are missing the likes of James Maddison and Harvey Barnes.
The Blades' injuries are too much for them in a season that has already been one to forget. Even with key players out, and tactical switches made out of necessity, the hosts should have enough to secure another three points for their top-four aim on Sunday.
How many defenders do Sheffield United have out injured?
Sheffield United's back three are all missing at the moment, with Chris Basham, John Egan and Jack O'Connell sidelined through injury. Jack Robinson, a full-back who could play on the left side of the trio, is also absent and the Blades are very short on options.
The one player they will welcome back after suspension is PHIL JAGIELKA. He was sent off in the win over Aston Villa which was his second card in five starts this season. There is a risk he may be substituted if they are chasing the game but he represents good value in the cards market.
Sporting Index provide the best price of 39/5 but 7/1 is available with both Sky Bet and William Hill. He is a squad player at the club but those injuries means he has to play when he can and that has led to cards. In eight total appearances, he has seen more fouls than successful tackles.
That includes two fouls in that win over Villa and a referee such as Peter Bankes isn't afraid to show the cards when required. He averages just under 3.5 cards per game and handed out six in Sheffield United's draw with Brighton earlier this season.
Also expected to be involved in the back line again is ETHAN AMPADU. The Chelsea loanee was playing as a midfielder but has taken up a regular role in defence due to injuries. It's a surprise to see that he has only picked up two bookings this season.
Both of those cards came when playing at centre-back and he's had a steady stream of fouls in each game throughout the season. That has been the case in recent weeks with a total of seven fouls coming in his last three games. That led to a booking against Southampton last time out.
The striker duo of Kelechi Iheanacho and Jamie Vardy will be a handful for the Sheffield United defence and that should lead to fouls. Not only that, but Leicester's midfield duo of Youri Tielemans and Sidnei Tavares were fouled a combined three times against Brighton.
The 12.5 fouls that Sheffield United commit on average per game is the second-highest in the league, only bettered by Fulham (12.6), while Leicester are the third-most fouled team (11.5). With this referee in charge, the Blades could find themselves in the book - AMPADU and JAGIELKA are the value plays in this market.
Leicester v Sheffield United best bets and score prediction
- 1pt Phil Jagielka to be shown a card at 39/5 (Sporting Index)
- 1pt Ethan Ampadu to be shown a card at 13/2 (Unibet)
Score prediction: Leicester 2-0 Sheffield United (Sky Bet odds: 11/2)
Odds correct at 1630 GMT (11/03/21)
Opta facts
- Leicester City have won all three of their Premier League meetings with Sheffield United, netting exactly two goals each time.
- Sheffield United are winless in their last seven league meetings with Leicester (D2 L5) since a 3-0 home win in April 2008 in the Championship.
- Sheffield United have scored just 16 Premier League goals this season, with only Derby in 2007-08 (13), Aston Villa in 2014-15 (15) and Huddersfield Town in 2018-19 (15) scoring fewer at this stage of a Premier League campaign.
- Sheffield United have lost 22 of their 28 Premier League games this season (W4 D2) – in only two top-flight campaigns have they lost more: 23 in 1933-34 and 26 in 1975-76, finishing in bottom place on both occasions.
- Leicester striker Jamie Vardy has either scored (2) or assisted (1) a goal in all three of his Premier League meetings with Sheffield United, netting a 90th minute winner in the reverse fixture at Bramall Lane in December.
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