WEST BROMWICH ALBION v LEICESTER CITY
Barclays Premier League
Saturday 31st October 2015, 3:00pm
The Hawthorns

MATCH NOTES

The game will be the 108th league and cup meeting between Albion and the Foxes. The Baggies currently have 50 wins to their name compared to City's 35.

Albion and Leicester have met twice previously in Premier League action with each club recording one victory each.

Albion's last game on October 31 took place in 2009 when a Roberto Di Matteo-led side beat Watford 5-0 in a League Championship encounter at The Hawthorns, Jonas Olsson, Graham Dorrans, Luke Moore, Gianni Zuiverloon and Simon Cox the goalscorers.

Leicester's last game on this date came in 2007 when they suffered a 4-3 Carling Cup defeat to Chelsea in a thrilling match at Stamford Bridge.

Only Manchester City and Manchester United have matched Albion's tally of six Premier League clean sheets this season.

Since Tony Pulis took over at The Hawthorns, Albion have kept 16 Premier League clean sheets - three more than any other side during that time.

The Baggies have won four of their last five games against Leicester in all competitions.

Leicester have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 17 top-flight matches against the Baggies - their last one coming in October 1971.

If selected, Chris Brunt will appear in his 200th Premier League game for the Baggies, becoming the first player to reach that milestone

Albion's last six games: Norwich City (A) 1-0; Sunderland (H) 1-0; Crystal Palace (A) 0-2; Everton (H) 2-3; Norwich City (A, LC) 0-3; Aston Villa (A) 1-0.

Leicester's last six games: Hull City (A, LC) 1-1 (4-5 pens); Crystal Palace (H) 1-0; Southampton (A) 2-2; Norwich City (A) 2-1; Arsenal (H) 2-5; West Ham United (H, LC) 2-1.

TEAM NEWS

Albion

Baggies' boss Tony Pulis has a number of injury doubts ahead of the visit of the Foxes - Scottish midfielder James Morrison amongst them.

Leicester City

Leonardo Ulloa is fit again for the Foxes after missing out against Hull in midweek with a thigh strain.

MATCH ODDS

Result

Albion Win: 19/10, Leicester City Win: 13/8, Draw: 2/1.

First Goalscorer

Albion: Berahino 11/2, Rondon 11/2, Lambert 7/1, Anichebe 8/1, McClean 10/1, Sessegnon 10/1, McManaman 11/1, Gardner 12/1, Morrison 12/1, Brunt 16/1, Dawson 20/1, Fletcher 25/1, McAuley 25/1, Yacob 33/1, Chester 33/1, Evans 33/1.

Leicester City: Vardy 9/2, Ulloa 13/2, Mahrez 13/2, Okazaki 13/2, Kramaric 7/1, Dyer 10/1, Albrighton 12/1, King 14/1, Drinkwater 14/1, Schlupp 14/1, Huth 20/1, Inler 25/1, Kante 25/1, Fuchs 33/1, Wasilewski 33/1, Morgan 33/1.

No goalscorers: 17/2.

www.williamhill.com

REFEREE

Anthony Taylor (Cheshire)

Taylor refereed three Albion games last season - the 1-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford in May, the 2-0 FA Cup quarter final defeat at Aston Villa in March and the 2-0 defeat at home to Everton in September.

The Cheshire official has taken charge of one Leicester match already this season - the 2-1 win at West Ham in August.

Taylor has issued 45 yellow cards and one red in the 11 games he has officiated so far this season.

A full run-down of Taylor's history refereeing the Baggies can be found here

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets remain on general sale to home supporters priced at £27/£25 adults, £21/£20 over-65s, £16/£15 under-21s/students and £10 juniors, with lower prices applying to the Smethwick End and Birmingham Road End.

Seats remain on sale from the East Stand ticket office up until kick-off time.

WEATHER FORECAST

Sunny intervals, 13°C

FIXTURE HISTORY

The two clubs met for the very first time back in September 1893, the Foxes winning a friendly game at Leicester 3-0, Hill Millar and Worrall the goalscorers in front of a crowd of around 3,000.

The first competitive clash between Albion and Leicester came eight years later in December 1901, the Baggies winning a Second Division fixture 3-0 at Filbert Street with goals from Chippy Simmons (2) and Jimmy McLean. Nine days later Albion completed the league double over the Foxes with a 1-0 win at The Hawthorns, Dan Nurse the scorer.

The sides have met regularly in league football ever since with Albion having by far the better of results.

The Baggies' biggest win over Leicester came in March 1965 when goals from Astle (2), Howshall, Clark, Foggo and Williams helped a Jimmy Hagan led side to a 6-0 win at The Hawthorns.

Albion have hit six goals past the Foxes on two other occasions: 6-2 (April 1958) and 6-4 (September 1954), both games taking place at The Hawthorns. The Baggies have also scored five past Leicester in various competitions on seven occasions, the last of which came in May 1977 at Filbert Street.

Leicester's biggest win over Albion came in January 1943 in a Wartime Cup clash at Filbert Street. Denis Cheney led the scoring for the Foxes with a hat-trick in a 9-0 win.

Albion have had by far the better of recent games with seven wins and just two defeats in the last ten league and cup matches between the clubs.

A full fixture history between the two teams can be found here

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

Saturday 1 November 2014 - Leicester City 0-1 Albion - Barclays Premier League - King Power Stadium
Tuesday 26 October 2010 - Leicester City 1-4 Albion - Carling Cup - Walkers Stadium
Friday 2 April 2010 - Albion 3-0 Leicester City - League Championship - The Hawthorns
Saturday 15 March 2008 - Albion 1-4 Leicester City - League Championship - The Hawthorns
Saturday 24 February 2007 - Leicester City 1-1 Albion - League Championship - Walkers Stadium
Saturday 9 September 2006 - Albion 2-0 Leicester City - League Championship - The Hawthorns
Saturday 26 January 2002 - Albion 1-0 Leicester City - FA Cup - The Hawthorns
Tuesday 9 April 1996 - Leicester City 1-2 Albion - League Division One - Filbert Street
Sunday 5 November 1995 - Albion 2-3 Leicester City - League Division One - The Hawthorns
Wednesday 12 January 1994 - Leicester City 4-2 Albion - League Division One - Filbert Street
Saturday 13 April 1991 - Albion 2-1 Leicester City - Second Division - The Hawthorns
Wednesday 21 February 1990 - Albion 0-1 Leicester City - Second Division - The Hawthorns
Saturday 9 September 1989 - Leicester City 0-3 Albion - Second Division - Filbert Street
Saturday 21 January 1989 - Albion 1-1 Leicester City - Second Division - The Hawthorns
Saturday 9 August 1975 - Leicester City 2-1 Albion - Anglo-Scottish Cup - Filbert Street

LAST MEETING AT THE HAWTHORNS

Albion 2-3 Leicester City
The Hawthorns
Barclays Premier League
Saturday 11th April 2015, 3:00pm

Albion: Myhill, Dawson, Brunt, Yacob, McAuley, Lescott, Morrison (Sessegnon 85), Gardner (Olsson 73), Berahino, Ideye (Anichebe 60), Fletcher. Subs not used: Rose, Wisdom, Baird, McManaman.

Goalscorers: Fletcher 8, Gardner 26

Booked: Gardner 49 (foul), Fletcher 61 (foul)

Leicester City: Schmeichel, De Laet (Wasilewski 45), Morgan, Huth, Schlupp, Cambiasso, James (King 60), Albrighton, Nugent, Vardy, Ulloa (Mahrez 64). Subs not used: Schwarzer, Konchesky, Drinkwater, Kramarić.

Goalscorers: Nugent 20, Huth 80, Vardy 90+1

Booked: Albrighton 54 (foul), Huth 75 (foul)

Referee: Martin Atkinson (West Riding)

Attendance: 26,768

Jamie Vardy's stunning injury-time winner handed Leicester a vital survival lifeline after a 3-2 victory at West Brom. The striker ran from the halfway line before burying a drive into the corner to close the gap to safety to just three points. It clinched back-to-back Barclays Premier League wins for the Foxes for the first time since September but they remain bottom with seven games left. Robert Huth's late header had made it 2-2 after Darren Fletcher and Craig Gardner scored for Albion, while David Nugent levelled in the first half before the Foxes' late show.

The Baggies, playing in a special replica kit from the 1968 FA Cup final as they paid tribute to former striker Jeff Astle to help launch a foundation in the late striker's name, are seven points above the bottom three. Craig Dawson returned from suspension for Chris Baird while Claudio Yacob replaced the benched Stephane Sessegnon. Marc Albrighton was recalled for Leicester, in place of Riyad Mahrez who dropped to the bench at The Hawthorns. The Baggies began well and Joleon Lescott had already headed a corner over before another brought the hosts' opener after eight minutes. Brunt's delivery was met by Fletcher seven yards out and his glancing effort flashed past Kasper Schmeichel, with goal-line technology awarding the goal after Esteban Cambiasso failed to clear in time. But the midfielder played his part in the Foxes' leveller on 20 minutes when his deep free-kick was nodded down by Leonardo Ulloa for Nugent to steal in and prod under Boaz Myhill from seven yards. The striker scuffed wide from 18 yards four minutes later but the Baggies regained the lead on 26 minutes through Gardner's second goal of the season. Chris Brunt's deep cross found Brown Ideye and the striker managed to nod the ball back for Gardner to hook in to the corner, via a deflection off Wes Morgan. The Foxes felt the ball had gone out before Brunt crossed but their protests went ignored. But three minutes before the break the Foxes should have levelled when Ulloa - without a goal in his last nine games - missed a fine chance. Albrighton's cross was flicked on by Nugent for Ulloa and, under pressure, he blazed over from six yards.

The Baggies had been second best since taking the lead and they continued to struggle to create after the break. Saido Berahino failed to pick out Gardner in space during a brief dangerous spell but there was little to concern the Foxes. Leicester looked the more dangerous but, as so often this season, struggled to turn their efforts into chances and goals. Mahrez fired a free-kick over with 18 minutes left with their first serious chance of the second half. But they kept pressing and levelled with 10 minutes remaining. Nugent hooked a deep ball back into the box with the Foxes queuing up at the far post and Marcin Wasilewski's header found Huth to nod in, with Dawson helping the ball into the net. And Vardy clinched a priceless win in injury time when he outmuscled Gareth McAuley on the halfway line, arrowed towards goal and buried an unstoppable low finish past Myhill from 12 yards.

Sporting Life

CURRENT CONNECTIONS

Craig Shakespeare, currently assistant to Claudio Ranieri at Leicester, spent three years as an Albion player from 1990 to 1993. He would later join the Hawthorns' coaching staff.

Albion defender Gareth McAuley spent two years as a Foxes' player between 2006 and 2008.

PAST CONNECTIONS

Amongst the players to have turned out at various levels for both clubs are: Ian Banks, Roman Bednar, Trevor Benjamin, Tony Brien, Ally Brown, Billy Bushell, Franz Carr, Nicky Cross, Laurie Cunningham, Lloyd Dyer, Peter Eastoe, Ike Evanson, Graham Fenton, Marton Fulop, Billy Garraty, Phil Gilchrist, Mark Grew, Paul Groves, Jackie Haines, Billy Harper, Derek Hogg, Geoff Horsfield, Russell Hoult, Andy Johnson, Diomansy Kamara, Paul Kerr, Chris Kirkland, Steve Lynex, Des Lyttle, Lee Marshall, Joe Mattock, Peter McKennan, Roddie McLeod, Kevin Phillips, Kevin Pressman, Arthur Randle, Arthur Rowley, Riccardo Scimeca, Frank Sinclair, Fred Shinton, Arthur Smith, David Speedie, Harry Trainer; David Walker, Gavin Ward, Winston White, Harry Wilcox, Paul Williams, Gordon Wills and Chris Wood.

ALL-TIME LEAGUE & CUP RECORD VS LEICESTER CITY