Kick-off: 1400, 07/08/2022
Stadium: King Power Stadium
Leicester claimed an eighth-placed finish following a fine end to 2021/22 while Brentford will be out to avoid the dreaded ‘second season syndrome’.
The Foxes did the double over the promoted Bees last term, with the west London club ending a very respectable 13th in their maiden Premier League campaign.
Let’s make a Foxes win and both teams to score at 3.75 our opening Leicester vs Brentford prediction – just as it was in both meetings last season.
Leicester City Odds
After back-to-back fifth-placed finishes, Leicester had to settle for eighth last term, mainly thanks to a four-game unbeaten run at the end of the campaign.
James Maddison netted in each of those matches and posted 18 goals in all competitions in another impressive campaign.
It was a surprise to see him omitted from the England squad for the dismal summer Nations League matches.
Maddison, who also had 12 assists, has not played for England since his debut against Montenegro in 2019.
He will be keen to continue where he left off ahead of the World Cup in Qatar in November and club boss Brendan Rodgers believes Maddison can do no more to earn an England recall.
Rodgers said: “He has been absolutely brilliant. He has power and quality, he scores and creates.
“He is strong defensively and his football talent is there for everyone to see. Look at his numbers, he has been first class and been, by quite a distance, our best player.”
Ten of Leicester’s 14 wins last season came at home and they were leading at half-time in both meetings against Brentford, with Maddison scoring in each match.
Looking at the 3.25 for a repeat of Leicester HT/Leicester FT.
Brentford Odds
Brentford ultimately ended 11 points clear of the drop zone but seven defeats in an eight-game winless streak during January and February saw them risk being sucked into a relegation battle.
However, successive wins over Norwich and Burnley at the start of March began a run of seven victories from their final 11 games which secured a second season in the top flight.
One of the main reasons for their upturn in form was the January capture of Denmark international Christian Eriksen.
The former Tottenham playmaker, who suffered a cardiac arrest at Euro 2020, impressed after joining on a short-term deal in January.
Eriksen has since joined Manchester United this summer – securing a reunion with Erik ten Hag, with whom he trained at Ajax before his return to football.
Bees boss Thomas Frank insisted a 13th-place finish in their first Premier League season had shown their worth.
He said: “We showed we could be an asset to the Premier League and that’s what I’m most proud of.
“I’m very proud of the overall performance and the way we presented ourselves as players and as a team. I think that we have done a remarkable job.
“I am very, very respectful about this league and I don’t believe in second season syndrome or that narrative.”
Frank’s side lost 18 of their 24 games last season when conceding first so 2.35 for them to score the final goal completes our Leicester vs Brentford betting tips.
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