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Premier League talking points for this weekend’s action

By David Hathaway

Could Chelsea actually be relegated?
Could Chelsea actually be relegated? /
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Roberto Matinez
Jul 31, 2013; San Francisco, CA, USA; Everton head coach Roberto Martinez leaves the field after the first half against Juventus at AT&T Park. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /

Will Leicester City continue their improbable charge into the Champions League against in-form Everton?

Another match-up that promises to be a thrilling contest takes place at Goodison Park this weekend as Everton host surprise-package Leicester City.

Much has been written about the unbelievable season that Leicester are having, with particular focus on their two-pronged offensive battering-ram of Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez, and rightly so as no team has finished outside the Champions League places with as many points from 16 games. Securing European football at the King Power Stadium next season would be an incredible achievement, but now talk of the title is being whispered amongst fans and the media. All suggestions are being framed as ‘could they do it?’, as doubts still linger over the legitimacy of a team that was bottom of the league only 12 months earlier. There is clearly still a widespread hesitation to truly buy into the Ranieri revolution at Leicester City.

But Leicester won’t care.

All season they have been tipped to falter and come crashing back to earth, only to continue their scintillating run to the top of the Premier League table—the Foxes are clear of Arsenal by two points and will secure top spot at Christmas with a victory over Everton. Propelled forward by Vardy’s record-breaking run of goals in consecutive games and Mahrez’s ability to change a game at a moment’s notice, Leicester have suddenly become the league’s biggest scalp.

Everton are no pushovers though, and are unbeaten in their last six, with Romelu Lukaku on his own Vardy-esque run of form with six goals in his last five appearances. But with three draws on the bounce against Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, and Norwich, Everton will be eager to put three points on the board.

As we’ve come to expect from Martínez, this team aren’t set up to defend and will instead elect to push the tempo and trade punches with the Leicester attack. Expect an open game with plenty of chances for both teams.

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