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Leicester City a huge game for Tottenham for many reasons

By Aaron Coe

LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 12: Antonio Ruediger of Chelsea battles for possession with Ryan Sessegnon of Tottenham Hotspur during the Carabao Cup Semi Final Second Leg match between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on January 12, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 12: Antonio Ruediger of Chelsea battles for possession with Ryan Sessegnon of Tottenham Hotspur during the Carabao Cup Semi Final Second Leg match between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on January 12, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images) /
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Tottenham Hotspur's Italian head coach Antonio Conte gestures during the second leg of the English League Cup semi final football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, in London on January 12, 2022. - (Photo by GLYN KIRK/IKIMAGES/AFP via Getty Images)
Tottenham Hotspur’s Italian head coach Antonio Conte gestures during the second leg of the English League Cup semi final football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, in London on January 12, 2022. – (Photo by GLYN KIRK/IKIMAGES/AFP via Getty Images) /

Leicester City is not necessarily in poor form, although the Foxes have lost four of their last seven in all competitions. What Leicester is more than anything is short-handed. Without several players due to the Africa Cup of Nations and a handful more – including Jamie Vardy – due to injury, Leicester City is a wounded team.

Spurs need to kick Leicester while they are down

This does not mean the Foxes are going to role over, with James Maddison, Youri Tielemans, and Kasper Schmeichel, this is still a really good team. Rather, Leicester is starting to understand the challenge of playing on that fourth front in Europe that Spurs have had to deal with for several years, which stretches teams thin.

With Leicester missing several key players and only sitting midtable, now is the time to step on their throat and take the Foxes to task. A decisive win over Leicester could be a huge statement for Tottenham and it is one they need to make. As a wounded team, the longer Leicester is in the match, the stronger they will become with confidence, Spurs cannot allow that to happen.

Tottenham owes Leicester a European souvenir

Maybe this is more on the Premier League but it seems to be on Leicester too. It was the originally scheduled match against Leicester City which Tottenham asked the Premier League to postpone so Spurs could make up their missed Europa Conference League game.

As we all know the Premier League denied this request, not wanting to damage the credibility of the competition.

Of course, as well all know, that match was indeed postponed, not for Tottenham to reschedule in Europe but due to Covid cases in the Leicester camp. The decision to not initially postpone the match was surely the league’s decision but just as surely, Leicester had to have some inclination of the direction of their covid outbreak.

This match being postponed late ultimately cost Spurs their last, best chance to make up their game against Rennes and stay in Europe. Instead, we all know the results and now the Premier League postpones matches for squad mismanagement but such is life.

Three Tottenham players to watch vs Leicester City. dark. Next

This brings us back to Leicester who in my mind as much as the Premier League could have acquiesced to Spurs’ request knowing they were probably going to ask for a postponement anyway. Instead, Tottenham got what it got and on Wednesday, Leicester need to get it in return. While the Gooners would be ideal, the Foxes will have to do and Spurs need to trounce them like the midtable team they are.

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