- Leicester U21 are a goal-happy side, but also a leaky one, in recent PL2 fixtures at least.
- Everton U21 have won four of their last nine PL2 games against Leicester U21 (Leicester have two wins and three draws in that span).
- Leicester U21 are just one place and two points above Everton U21 in the current PL2 Division One table, with both sides hoping to break into the top half.
Everton U21 v Leicester U21 - a potential beauty
Everton U21’s form has been mixed since the start of the new year, but they had a good run of results in December and January and will come into Friday’s match with Leicester U21 on the back of an impressive 3-0 away win at West Brom U21 and another notable victory over Jong PSV in a December friendly. Paul Tait has brought a bit of structure to Everton’s play, building patiently from the back and pressing as a unit, which has seen them tighten up defensively in some recent fixtures.
Tait seems to be developing these young players well for the step up to senior football, with the young Blues often displaying good discipline in their build-up play and situational pressing. Braiden Graham is their primary goal threat, but Jack Patterson is also a real talent with goals and assists to his name and a tendency to make things happen on the break.
The Foxes are a lively side with an attacking mentality and a coach who’s not afraid to play some football. Leon McSweeney is clearly an excellent developer of young talent, as his current crop of Leicester U21s can show, and he promotes an aggressive style of play, with plenty of pressing, high tempo and attacking overloads.
His side come into this game on the back of a 6-2 hammering of Birmingham U21, but a 4-0 defeat to Man City U21 prior to that shows the limitations of Leicester’s team when they come up against quality opponents. Amani Richards is a standout talent, leading the way in goals and assists for the PL2 campaign to date, and acts as the creative engine of the side, but there’s plenty to like about the supporting cast with Jake Evans and Olabade Aluko regularly contributing to the side’s high-scoring matches.
Expect an entertaining draw
Leicester U21’s games, like Everton U21’s, have featured plenty of goals, but Leicester’s have been a bit more open recently and this game could be a cracker. BTTS is a short price, but the value is probably in backing the draw at 31/10, with Leicester available at 73/50 and Everton at 117/100. Everton are probably the more likely of the two to win this, and they have a slight advantage in the head-to-head record and a draw or 2-1 home win seems the most likely outcome.
The young Foxes will need to contain Graham and Patterson on the counter-attack, but Everton have the two talented attackers in their ranks and can match Leicester in a fast-paced contest. The most recent meeting at Walton Hall Park was a 4-3 Everton win, while the game at Leicester was a 1-1 draw. With both teams in good scoring form and the likely damp, chilly conditions on Merseyside favouring the side best able to handle the transition to and from defending, I think a high-scoring draw or a narrow home win for Everton is most likely.
