Leicester v Bournemouth: Team news, predictions, odds, statistics, quotes & kick-off time

The game kicks off at 1500 BST at the King Power Stadium.

Leicester City v Bournemouth: Our prediction  

Nick Hext writes... There are plenty of big prices available for away wins on the final day of the season and it’s Bournemouth to get the better of Leicester at upwards of 3/1 that catches my eye. 

Leicester have been beset by injury problems at the end of a memorable campaign as defending champions that saw them reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League but also struggle domestically until manager Claudio Ranieri was ruthlessly dispensed with.

The rights and wrongs of the decision to part company with Ranieri have been discussed at length already but there can be no doubt that caretaker boss Craig Shakespeare has done a good job at getting the Foxes back to somewhere close to their best. 

Leicester have won over half of their matches under Shakespeare’s management so it’s been far from a comedy of errors as was regularly the case at the end of Ranieri’s reign. 

The Foxes have been handed the challenge of two matches in quick succession to end the season, and it didn't start well when taking a hammering from Spurs on Thursday.

In light of that miserable showing, it's not hard to see an in-form Cherries outfit taking advantage of the quick turnaround and Shakespeare’s limited options with a tired and depleted squad are also a major factor here. 

Bournemouth have won three of their last four games and only suffered defeats to the top two of Chelsea and Tottenham in their previous 11 since the start of March. 

Eddie Howe is talking a good game about getting Bournemouth as far up the table as he can - they can finish as high as eighth - and making sure of a top half finish really would represent a tremendous achievement. 

The Cherries have been backed with big money over the years but that doesn’t take anything away from Howe’s continuing shrewd leadership and evolution of the Vitality Stadium club from League Two relegation contenders to an established Premier League outfit. 

I’m going to end the season with Bournemouth as part of my staking plan.  

Prediction: Leicester City 1-3 Bournemouth

Leicester City v Bournemouth: Team news

Andy King could return to the Leicester squad for the final game of the season at home to Bournemouth, but Wes Morgan and Robert Huth will remain on the sidelines.

King was one of several absentees against Tottenham on Thursday night, but the midfielder trained on Friday and it is hoped he will boost numbers for manager Craig Shakespeare, with central defender Morgan (hamstring) and Huth (foot) still out.

Midfielders Danny Drinkwater (thigh) and Nampalys Mendy (ankle) are also likely to be sidelined again.

Bournemouth could have midfielder Andrew Surman available again following a knee problem.

Lewis Cook has left for international duty with England ahead of the Under-20 World Cup in South Korea, but midfielder Dan Gosling should feature after his recent calf problem while striker Benik Afobe is still nursing a hamstring strain.

On-loan Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere has already been ruled out for the season after suffering a fractured leg, while forward Callum Wilson, goalkeeper Adam Federici and defender Rhoys Wiggins all continue their recovery from knee injuries.

Teams:

Leicester (from): Schmeichel, Hamer, Zieler, Simpson, Fuchs, Chilwell, Wasilewski, Moore, Knight, Benalouane, Ndidi, King, Amartey, Gray, Albrighton, Mahrez, Musa, Vardy, Ulloa, Slimani, Okazaki.

Bournemouth (from): Boruc, Francis, Daniels, A Smith, S Cook, Surman, Pugh, Stanislas, Arter, Mousset, King, Allsop, Mings, B Smith, Gradel, Fraser, Ibe, Afobe.

Leicester City v Bournemouth: Manager quotes

Craig Shakespeare (Leicester City)

On a chastening defeat against Spurs: "We'd like to think that we're better than last night's showing, most definitely. Hopefully it was a one-off.

"But Tottenham are a good side, they've recruited really, really well, they've spent heavily in the transfer market. You could see the depth of their side.

"When they've got the injuries they had and the players they could bring in, you understand how the recruitment side of it can have a massive affect.

"There's not enough strength in our squad. We've come into injuries and we've managed to get through the games before that."

On an important summer of recruitment: "Recruitment is a massive area in any football club. We have to get that right. But we've been unfortunate with injuries and when you miss all the players that we did last night, I think it took its toll.

"We look at the whole person. They have to have ability and attributes specific to their positions, but also the personality and mentality has to be right," said Shakespeare.

"We know enough people within football to be able to make checks on that sort of thing and get opinions. You can make checks on players with just a few phone calls."

Eddie Howe (Bournemouth)

On retaining top-flight status: "It has been a good season to this point and we want to finish on a high if we can. Our end-of-season form has been very strong.

"The first year was tough, everything we expected it to be. The second season we felt would be different in many ways, potentially harder and I think that has been the case.

"I don't think there has been any surprises for us, the pitfalls of the second season have been there, but we have managed to control them and the players deserve a lot of credit for not letting standards drop.

"The work rate has been there and the attitude has been there. When those two things have been there then we are a very difficult team to play against.

"There have been several moments to look back on and it is difficult for me to really appreciate them in season, it is only when you sit back and reflect in the summer.

"The Liverpool games, home and away, were obviously big ones, they were special days for us, as well as beating Everton here, drawing with Tottenham here, which were not only great results but they were excellent performances.

"The draw at Old Trafford especially in the circumstances and how that point came about was also a heroic effort from the players."

On possible transfer activity: "The two years in the Premier League certainly help (attract players).

"The first year there is a hesitation before wanting to commit to the club because they don't just want to be a Premier League player for one season, and a lot of players have that in mind.

"The fact we have been able to stay in the Premier League for two years gives us a stronger base to appeal to those players."

Leicester City v Bournemouth: Opta facts

o After winning four successive games in the second tier against Bournemouth, Leicester are without a Premier League victory in three contests (D2 L1).

o Bournemouth have kept a clean sheet in their last two league games against Leicester, after going six without one.

o Jamie Vardy scored the winning goal for Leicester the last time they beat Bournemouth at home in a league match in October 2013.

o For just the third time in the 11 Premier League seasons, the Foxes will be finishing the season at home, winning their previous two, including a 5-1 win over QPR at the end of the 2014-15 campaign.

Leicester City v Bournemouth: Sky Bet odds  

Leicester are the 5/6 odds-on favourites with Sky Bet, who give Bournemouth a 3/1 chance of finishing with a win while the draw is 11/4. Jamie Vardy is the 100/30 favourite to score the first goal of the game, while for the Cherries’ Joshua King is seen as the most likely at 11/2. The Foxes are expected to finish in the top half next season at 6/5, while their visitors are marginally shorter odds at evens. 

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