Enzo Maresca outlines what he expects from Sunderland ahead of Leicester clash
maresca provided his assessment of the Black Cats ahead of this midweek clas
Leicester City boss Enzo Maresca expects Sunderland to be aggressive and dangerous on the counter-attack during their upcoming clash at the King Power Stadium.
Maresca acknowledges Sunderland’s good players, including Bellingham, who could pose a threat to Leicester.
However, the Foxes are probably the favourites to win this game.
Leicester City boss Enzo Maresca expects upcoming opponents Sunderland to be aggressive, making this prediction to Leicestershire Live.
The Foxes are currently the team to beat, having taken advantage of Ipswich Town’s postponed game against Rotherham United by extending their lead at the top of the Championship table further.
Securing a 3-1 away win at Swansea City, having initially fallen behind, Maresca’s side look unstoppable at this stage and will be favourites to come out on top against the Black Cats at the King Power Stadium.
They have won 11 of their 12 league games this term – and are currently on course to smash Reading’s 106-point record that hasn’t been broken since the Royals’ brilliant promotion back in 2005/06.
The Foxes may have a great squad on paper, and will have been expected to be in the promotion mix before the season even started, but they have had to deal with key summer departures and adapt to a new style of play.
| Leicester City – 2023/24 Departures | ||
|---|---|---|
| Player Name | Signed For | Loan/Permanent |
| James Maddison | Tottenham | Permanent (fee involved) |
| Harvey Barnes | Newcastle United | Permanent (fee involved) |
| Timothy Castagne | Fulham | Permanent (fee involved) |
| George Hirst | Ipswich Town | Permanent (fee involved) |
| Victor Kristiansen | Bologna | Loan |
| Youri Tielemans | Aston Villa | Permanent |
| Caglar Soyuncu | Atletico Madrid | Permanent |
| Daniel Amartey | Besiktas | Permanent |
| Ayoze Perez | Real Betis | Permanent |
| Jonny Evans | Man United | Permanent |
| Boubakary Soumare | Sevilla | Loan |
| Luke Thomas | Sheffield United | Loan |
| Nampalys Mendy | Without Club | Permanent |
| Ryan Bertrand | Without Club | Permanent |
| Tete | Shakhtar D | End of Loan |
Having both done, they are only likely to improve further in the coming months as they look to secure promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.
With their win at the Swansea.com Stadium in mind, Leicester will be full of confidence heading into tonight’s clash against Tony Mowbray’s men, who have suffered losses against Middlesbrough and Stoke City either side of the international break.
They will be desperate to get themselves back on track sooner rather than later – but will be the underdogs in this clash.
What does Enzo Maresca expect of Sunderland ahead of Leicester City clash?
Maresca was complimentary about the Wearside outfit ahead of tonight’s game, giving full respect to his side’s opponents.
The Italian said: “They are third in the Championship for possession and at the same time they are very dangerous on the counter-attack. I expect them to be aggressive, but I’m not sure, we’ll see tomorrow.
“For sure, they have very good players, like Bellingham for sure. They have three or four good players.”
Which Sunderland players do Leicester City have to be wary of tonight?
The Black Cats have several dangerous players who can make an impact.
Jack Clarke and Patrick Roberts can make a real impact out wide – and Jobe Bellingham could potentially be pushed into a more advanced position with Dan Neil set to return from his suspension.
With Bellingham likely to have more freedom to get forward with Neil returning, he could be extremely dangerous, along with Mason Burstow and Luis Hemir who will be desperate to get themselves on the scoresheet.
Neil and Pierre Ekwah are ones to watch too, because both have worked together well in the middle of the park before and could prove to be problematic if they win the midfield battle.
Mowbray may have an inexperienced squad, but many of these players are very talented and have a high ceiling, including Daniel Ballard who could be a real threat from corners.
One corner could end up changing the game, so Leicester will need to have their eye on several players and can’t view tonight’s game as an easy win. If they rest on their laurels, they will be punished.
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