Leicester vs Chelsea: 5 key matchups that could go either way

N’Golo Kante vs Wilfried Ndidi

Wilfried Ndidi has established himself as one of the best ball-winners in world football today. The Leicester star second in the league in tackles and interceptions – recording 4.1 and 2.7 respectively.

It’s not as if he’s getting a ton of help from his midfield counterparts. James Maddison and Youri Tielemans are averaging 3.9 tackles and 1.1 interceptions COMBINED. Ndidi is bossing the midfield all by himself, almost singlehandedly pushing Leicester to fourth in possession just from his sheer ball-winning abilities.

Now, this all sounds all too familiar for the Foxes.

N’Golo Kante was essentially doing what Ndidi is doing right now – controlling the pitch by himself, allowing for more creativity and firepower in the midfield alongside him. While his stats might not suggest such dominance he enjoyed earlier, there is no doubt that the Frenchman is still a world-class midfielder who enjoys nothing more than pestering opponents into giving up the ball. He is a key part of why Chelsea is third in possession this season.

The old tale dictates that whoever wins the midfield battle controls the game. This battle between two premier midfielders can be brutal, entertaining, and important for the outcome of the game.