Can Vardy & Co annoy the title contenders?

On Saturday afternoon, the Emirates Stadium will host a clash of contrasts. In the game between title contenders Arsenal and Leicester, a tip on the hosts in the three-way market does not even have odds of 1.20. The Gunners are the overwhelming favorites and will most likely live up to this role. The promoted team has not been able to carry the euphoria over into the new season and is still waiting for its first win in the 2024/25 season.

Neo-coach Steve Cooper is already on the back foot at the Foxes, after all, as in the relegation year of 2022/23, there is the threat of a run of six games without a win at the start of the season. This would undoubtedly be a bad omen, although the current league position is no cause for concern.

With three draws from their first five games, the promoted team is above the ominous line. To find interesting odds for the game between Arsenal and Leicester, you have to look at the alternative betting markets. Especially if you think the guest team can do well, the best bookmakers offer exciting options.

After five league games, the Gunners have eleven points, two points behind defending champions Manchester City. The Gunners were only seconds away from taking the lead in the table. With a man sent off, Arsenal defended successfully for a long time before Manchester City’s substitute John Stones scored in injury time to make it 2-2. For the second time this season, Arteta’s team had to end a game with a man down.

90 shots – only three goals against

After Declan Rice’s red card against Brighton, the Seagulls still managed 19 shots. Manchester City were able to take a whopping 28 shots after Trossard’s sending off and repeatedly went desperate against goalkeeper David Raya. In five games, Arsenal have allowed no fewer than 90 shots. By comparison, Havertz & Co have only been able to get 50 attempts on goal so far. The difference of 40 shots is the highest in the current Premier League season.

Despite these 90 shots, Arsenal have only conceded three goals in their first five league games and have kept a clean sheet three times. So the defense is looking quite solid. Up front, Bukayo Saka is always a threat. No player has provided more assists than the winger this season (five).

In addition to Saka, Leicester will have to watch out for Gabriel Jesus on Saturday afternoon. The Brazilian attacking midfielder has provided more assists against the Foxes than any other PL team. He has nine scores (seven goals, two assists) to his name so far. If Jesus scores again against their favorite opponent, betting odds of 2.20 are on offer for Arsenal v Leicester. In combination with a freebet, this could be a good option.

Leicester – Statistics & current form

The mastermind behind the Foxes’ title-winning campaign left for the challenge of taking Chelsea to the top table. He was followed by Steve Cooper, a coach who is held in very high regard in England and who recently did a good job at Nottingham Forest. After being promoted and avoiding relegation, Vardy & Co hoped for a less eventful campaign in their first season back in the top flight. However, five games without a win at the start of the season have taken a toll on their confidence and meant that Cooper’s team have to look over their shoulders.
Goals on both sides

With the exception of Tottenham, Leicester have not yet faced a top opponent, which is why the weak start to the season is even more disappointing. It is striking that in the first five games of the season, both Leicester and their opponents scored in all of them. With this record, the tip on “both teams score?” seems extremely lucrative between Arsenal and Leicester, with odds of up to 2.30.

Arsenal’s defense is looking quite solid, but the Foxes offense around veteran striker Jamie Vardy is always creating chances. Nevertheless, we do not necessarily believe in an upset, which is why we are refraining from the high betting odds on the double chance X2. Away games in the English top flight have rarely ended with success for the Foxes in the recent past.

Their last away win came in February 2023, since when Leicester have played ten PL away games and only managed a meagre four draws. Memories of the capital are not positive either, with only two of their last 16 PL appearances in London being won.

Arsenal – Leicester direct comparison / H2H record

The head-to-head speaks for itself and points to a home win for Arsenal against Leicester. The Gunners have won their last five league games against the Foxes. Furthermore, the promoted team have only won one of their last 26 away games in the capital against Arsenal (October 2020). Another indication in favor of Arteta’s team is the strong statistics against promoted teams, as 16 of the last 17 games of this kind have been won. At the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal have not even been defeated by promoted teams in an impressive 39 games (34 wins, five draws). Not a good outlook for Cooper’s team.

Arsenal – Leicester Tip

The situation is very clear, which is also evident in the odds on the three-way market in the match between Arsenal and Leicester. The bookmakers are not even offering 1.20 for a home win. These odds are not to be recommended. However, we don’t want to believe in a high-scoring victory in favor of the Gunners either, which is why our predictions tend to be more in the direction of the goal markets.
The Foxes have not won a game in 2024/25, but they are by no means a hopeless case. Often, nuances were missing to finally be able to fully write. The Cooper XI repeatedly create chances, especially going forward, and it is not for nothing that they have scored at least once in all five league games. We believe that this trend will continue and are therefore predicting that both teams will score in the game between Arsenal and Leicester. The odds for this seem to be set a fair bit too high.