Vardy's Role Deemed Essential For Leicester City's Fight In Premier League

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Steve Cooper emphasised the importance of keeping veteran striker Jamie Vardy fit throughout the season to secure their Premier League status. Vardy scored the equaliser in Leicester's 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur, marking his ninth goal against Spurs and his 137th in the competition. Despite being the oldest player in the squad, Cooper highlighted Vardy's crucial influence on the team.

Leicester's Abdul Fatawu was instrumental in their return to the Premier League. He led all players in duels won (13), successful dribbles (three), possession won (eight), and tackles (six). His performance was a key factor in Leicester's success.

Fulham's Andreas Pereira also stood out despite their loss to Manchester United. Pereira created more chances than any other Premier League player in the opening round of fixtures (six) and played the most passes into the final third for Fulham (16). His efforts were notable against his former club.

Fulham aim to bounce back on home soil after their defeat to Manchester United. Historically, they have only started a season with consecutive defeats twice in 17 Premier League campaigns. They won both league meetings with Leicester in 2022-23 and hope to continue this trend.

Leicester will look to carry their strong away form from last season into this campaign. They won more away league games than any other side in English football's top four tiers last season. However, Cooper has struggled against Fulham, losing six of seven meetings, including all three Premier League games by an aggregate score of 10-2.

Fulham's Opening Game Struggles

Fulham began their season with a late defeat to Manchester United, courtesy of Joshua Zirkzee's goal. This marked their first away defeat starting a season since 2008-09. Despite this, head coach Marco Silva saw positives, noting that his players need better decision-making and longer possession periods.

"When I see our players with some free kicks, trying to rush all the decisions, even with the players on the grass trying to do it quickly, we should have much more balance in decisions," Silva said. "We should have longer possession to create moments."

Leicester City's Strategy

Cooper stressed that keeping Vardy fresh is essential due to his age. "Jamie doesn't need any special words from me on his capabilities and impact he can have," Cooper said. "Keeping him fresh for games is going to be important." He added that older players understand their bodies well and know how to prepare for matches effectively.

The Foxes' manager also mentioned working collaboratively with Vardy to ensure he is ready for games. "He really enjoys the games and what it takes to get ready for games," Cooper noted, emphasising respect for Vardy's preparation routine.

Opta Win Probability

The Opta win probability gives Fulham a 51.5% chance of victory, while Leicester has a 24.1% chance, with a draw at 24.3%. These statistics reflect Fulham's historical advantage over Leicester at home.

Despite these odds, Leicester will be keen to replicate their Championship away form in the Premier League. They won each of their first seven away games last term and will aim for similar success this season.

The upcoming match at Craven Cottage will be crucial for both teams as they seek early-season momentum. Fulham hopes to end their streak of not winning their first home match in five Premier League campaigns since beating Norwich City 5-0 in 2012-13.

The game promises an exciting contest as both teams strive for vital points early in the season.