By Goal.com News on Thursday, 16 July 2020
Category: Goal.com News

LIVE: Leicester City vs Sheffield United

57' SAVE! Vardy takes the ball down on the left side of the box and slides it forward to Barnes. The angle closes for him to square for Perez and he opts to shoot towards the near post, but Henderson makes himself big and saves!

55' Leicester are back in control of the ball and are pushing the visitors back once more.

53' Leicester are unbeaten in their last 36 Premier League home games when winning at half-time (W33 D3), since losing to Chelsea in April 2015.

51' POST! Tielemans slides the ball through for Vardy, who sprints between two defenders down the left and fires a left-footed effort towards the near post, but it pings off the outside of the post and out!

48' Sheffield United have kept the ball better in the early stages of the second half, pushing Leicester back as they work it around.

46' We're back underway for the second half!

Wilder will have some stern words for his side at the break - they've been passive and sluggish and must do better if they want to end the day in a Europa League spot. Rodgers may also harbour concerns, however, given the drop-off in intensity his side displayed after scoring.

There goes the half-time whistle! Leicester were the dominant force in the first half and they made their pressure pay as Thomas produced a cool cut-back to Perez, who fired a low effort into the corner from just inside the box just before the half-hour mark. The final 15 minutes of the half saw both sides drop their intensity levels, but the hosts are deservedly ahead after their strong start. It's 1-0 to Leicester at the break!

45' + 2' HALF-TIME: LEICESTER CITY 1-0 SHEFFIELD UNITED

45' Osborn gets in down the left but his cross is overhit and Baldock can't keep it in on the far side. The Blades just really haven't clicked in attack today.

43' Sheffield United have really struggled to create chances in this half so far and are still yet to muster a shot on target.

41' There's been a distinct lack of goalmouth action since Leicester went ahead, with neither goalkeeper really tested since.

39' Leicester pin Sheffield United back again and win a corner, but the Blades defend the set-piece well - as they have done all season.

37' Despite a brief surge forward from the Blades, they are struggling to keep possession of the ball and the hosts are back in control of proceedings. 

35' It's now Leicester's turn to give away a handful of cheap fouls as they seek to break up Sheffield United's momentum.

33' Sheffield United have started playing far more expansively since going behind. They're pressing high and are playing a much higher line than before.

31' That strike is Perez's first Premier League goal since he scored a brace against West Ham in January. It's also his 50th league goal in English football.

27' The ball is very nearly slid through to Stevens from midfield as Justin's interception is loose, but the full-back cleans up and passes back to Schmeichel to diffuse the danger.

25' Aged 19 years, 36 days, Thomas is the third-youngest player to make his first Premier League start for Leicester, after Emile Heskey and Stuart Campbell. He has created three chances so far in the game, while no other player has created more than one.

23' SAVE! Tielemans fires at goal from inside the area but the shot is a bit too central and Henderson keeps it out, before Ndidi strikes from distance but sees his effort deflected behind by Egan. 

21' Leicester are dominating the ball and working it around well at the moment. Sheffield United are simply soaking up pressure and sitting deep at the moment.

19' O'Connell thinks he's played McGoldrick in behind with a lovely ball slid down the left, but the striker had just strayed offside.

18' BLOCK! Barnes dances inside from the flank and strikes a wicked effort at goal, but it takes a deflection and loops over the bar.

16' Baldock is caught in possession on the flank and Leicester launch a quick counter. Perez waits for support to arrive and plays the ball across the face of goal with the outside of his boot, but it doesn't find Barnes' run to the near post and the attack breaks down.

14' OVER! A free-kick is delivered into the box after Perez fouled Baldock near the touchline, and Egan rises highest to meet it at the back post, but his firm header flies over the bar!

12' SAVES! Justin tears down the right and whips a cross into the middle that Vardy meets, but his first-time effort is blocked by Basham. However, the ball ricochets back to the striker and he fires towards the bottom-left corner, but Henderson sticks a boot out to deny him before Baldock hacks clear! Tielemans then tries his luck from distance, but Henderson stands tall to keep it out!

11' The Blades try to press Leicester and succeed in forcing them backwards, but the Foxes play their way out well and keep possession.

9' OVER! Perez is picked out at the back post by Thomas with a lovely ball from the left, and the Spaniard rises above his marker to meet it, but nods over the bar from six yards out! 

8' The flow of the game is disrupted by a series of fouls as Sheffield United seek to break up the game as Leicester pour forward.

6' Vardy thinks he's forced a throw for Leicester high up the field after putting pressure on Egan, but his pressing is overzealous and the whistle goes for a foul by the Foxes striker.

4' BLOCK! A Leicester corner is repelled but the Foxes keep it and pile the pressure on. A left-wing cross from Barnes strikes the arm of Basham, but the defender has his arms by his side and the referee waves away appeals. Tielemans then strikes from the edge of the box and Berge deflects the effort wide for a corner.

2' CHANCE! There's an early chance for the visitors as Baldock is played in beautifully over the top and he hits the byline before picking out a perfect cut-back for McGoldrick on the penalty spot. He arrives to meet the ball at the same time as Bennett, and the defender's intervention sees the striker's shot skied over the bar! McGoldrick claims he was fouled, but the referee isn't interested.

1' We're underway at the King Power Stadium!

Meanwhile, having failed to win any of their first three Premier League matches back after the restart (D1 L2), Sheffield United have gone unbeaten in their last four (W3 D1).

Since the start of February, Leicester have been in poor form, winning just two of their 11 Premier League games (D5 L4). However, both of those victories have come at the King Power Stadium (against Aston Villa and Crystal Palace).

Sheffield United head coach Chris Wilder, in stark contrast, names an unchanged line-up after watching his team beat Chelsea 3-0 at Bramall Lane in their last outing. Luke Freeman and Leon Clarke are the only players missing through injury.

Leicester City head coach Brendan Rodgers makes four changes after his side's embarrassing 4-1 defeat to relegation-threatened Bournemouth last time out. Iheanacho drops to the bench, but Caglar Soyuncu is suspended, Marc Albrighton is out injured and Christian Fuchs is left out altogether. James Maddison and Ben Chilwell are not fit enough to return, remaining sidelined alongside long-term absentees Ricardo Pereira and Daniel Amartey.

Sheffield United substitutes: Billy Sharp, Simon Moore, Phil Jagielka, John Fleck, Richairo Zivkovic, Lys Mousset, Jack Robinson, John Lundstram, Kieron Freeman.

Sheffield United XI (3-5-2): Dean Henderson; Chris Basham, John Egan, Jack O'Connell; George Baldock, Sander Berge, Oliver Norwood, Ben Osborn, Enda Stevens; Oli McBurnie, David McGoldrick.

Leicester City substitutes: Demarai Gray, Darnell Johnson, Danny Ward, Matty James, Nampalys Mendy, Kelechi Iheanacho, George Hirst, Hamza Choudhury, Dennis Praet.

Leicester City XI (3-4-3): Kasper Schmeichel; Ryan Bennett, Wes Morgan, Jonny Evans; James Justin, Wilfried Ndidi, Youri Tielemans, Luke Thomas; Ayoze Perez, Jamie Vardy, Harvey Barnes.

Both sides come into this game fighting for a European spot as the season draws to a close. Leicester are fourth but are only ahead of Manchester United on goal-difference and must win in order to remain in the Champions League places. Meanwhile, a win for the Blades would see them jump from eighth to sixth and enter the Europa League spots.

Hello and welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Premier League fixture between Leicester City and Sheffield United at the King Power Stadium.

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