The return of the Premier League is finally upon us with Friday night serving up a tasty opening fixture.
Manchester United take on Leicester City at Old Trafford, and despite their overall season objectives being vastly different, Jose Mourinho and Claude Puel will be hoping to get off to the perfect start.
So, are we in for a dramatic first game at Old Trafford? Here are five things we think could happen.
1. Mourinho to keep up fine opening weekend record
The former Chelsea manager is undeniably the master of the Premier League opening weekend. Mourinho is unbeaten in all nine of his first-day matches, winning eight and drawing one.
He has tallied 2.78 points per match and has a win percentage of 88.89% in those games. Those figures top all managers to take charge of five or more Matchweek 1 fixtures.
What’s more, United boast the best points-per-match average (2.12) of any side to have played more than one Premier League opener – they’ve won 17 of their 26 Matchweek 1 fixtures, drawing four and losing five.
2. Man United to score three goals
United will be hoping to get off to another flying start to a Premier League campaign, just as they have in each of the last two seasons.
Last term, Mourinho’s men thrashed West Ham United 4-0 at Old Trafford. And in 2016/17, they started their season with a comfortable 3-1 victory at Bournemouth.
If that’s not enough to boost United’s confidence, there’s this too: at least three goals have been scored in five of their last eight meetings with Leicester, and United have scored three or more in four of those games.
3. Leicester to breach United’s defence at least once
Much has been said, mostly by Mourinho, about United’s recruitment this summer. Last year’s runners-up have been linked with numerous centre-backs, but none have arrived at the time of writing.
If one does arrive by Friday night, he is unlikely to play so soon. Mourinho may be forced to deploy a shaky back four, and United have kept just two clean sheets in their last nine encounters with Leicester.
That said, the Foxes have scored just three times in their last eight league visits to Old Trafford. Puel may require his side to take risks if they are to find the net.
4. Iheanacho to strike against former rivals
Kelechi Iheanacho was once tipped for stardom as a Manchester City player, but things didn’t quite work out and he was soon sold to Leicester, where he scored just three league goals in his debut season.
However, two of those goals came in the final two games of last term. They were also against top-six sides in the form of Arsenal and Tottenham.
And with four goals in three pre-season outings, Iheanacho may have finally hit form for the Foxes at the perfect time to find the net against his old neighbours.
5. World Cup stars to miss out
United are likely to be without five first-teamers who reached the World Cup semi-finals and beyond: Romelu Lukaku, Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard, Ashley Young and Marouane Fellaini.
Nemanja Matic and Marcos Rojo also haven’t featured during pre-season.
Similarly, it could be too soon for Leicester’s World Cup stars Jamie Vardy and Harry Maguire. The game has also perhaps come too soon for new signing Rachid Ghezzal.
Jonny Evans remains sidelined through injury.
The post Five predictions for Premier League opener Man Utd vs Leicester appeared first on Squawka News.
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