- Arsenal U21 have won the last two PL2 head-to-heads (4-1 at home 2 years ago).
- Arsenal U21 have won 4, drawn 2 and lost 2 home PL2 matches this season, scoring 1.25 and conceding 1.00 per game on average.
- Leicester U21 have failed to win either of their last 2 away PL2 fixtures (D1, L1).
Two top-flight academy sides face off
Arsenal U21 sit tenth in the Premier League 2 with 26 points from 16 matches, one ahead of Leicester U21 in 11th, on 25 points from 17 games. The two teams are in a tight bunch with momentum and play-off hopes on the line in this fixture.
Arsenal U21 will look to dominate possession and control the play while Leicester U21 will look to get direct, play on the transition and exploit space behind Arsenal’s line. These are two distinct tactical approaches which should make for an exciting fixture.
Arsenal U21 - possession and pressing
Mehmet Ali has been at the helm of Arsenal U21 since July 2022 and has developed a side that is a mini version of Mikel Arteta’s senior squad. They are a possession-based side who will press the ball aggressively, transition quickly and are positional in the way they play.
Demiane Agustien is Arsenal U21’s danger man with three goals in the last five matches, including three of their seven goals across that period.
Leicester U21 - pragmatic play
Leicester U21 will be pragmatic in their approach, looking to counter-attack and get men behind the Arsenal defence. They will deploy the ball wide and look to cross into the box or look to play through the thirds quickly. Kirsten Otchere leads the line for Leicester U21 and he has scored three goals in the last five games for his side, helping them to eight goals in that period.
Head-to-head and recent form
This fixture pits two sides who have taken different paths but are relatively similar in terms of quality and ability. Arsenal U21 have the home advantage, the better record at home and the better head-to-head record. However, the odds favour Arsenal.
Arsenal U21 have won two, drawn two and lost one of their last five PL2 fixtures. They recorded a gritty 1-0 home win over Newcastle U21, a narrow 0-1 home loss to Ipswich U21 and a 2-2 away draw with Norwich U21.
Leicester U21 have won one, drawn two and lost two of their last five PL2 outings. They drew 1-1 away at West Ham U21, suffered a heavy 1-4 home defeat to Manchester United U21 and drew 2-2 at home with Newcastle U21.
Back the Gunners to edge it
The odds for Arsenal U21 to win are very short, Arsenal are 79/100 while Leicester U21 are 239/100 to pick up a result and that seems like a good opportunity. Arsenal U21’s home form is much better than Leicester U21’s away form and they have won the last two meetings in this competition, including a 4-1 home win two years ago.
Leicester U21 have scored 13 goals in 8 away trips in PL2 this season, winning 3, drawing 2 and losing 3. Over 2.5 goals is favoured at 9/25, so this should be an open, attacking fixture which Arsenal U21 will just edge.
