Monday night football in the Premier League returns on August 19 with a much-anticipated clash, as Tottenham Hotspur travel to the King Power Stadium to challenge Leicester City in what promises to be an exciting early-season encounter.Leicester are adjusting to life after their Championship-winning manager, Enzo Maresca, departed for a long-term contract at Chelsea. Meanwhile, Tottenham, under Ange Postecoglou, are eyeing a top-four finish after falling just short last season.Despite the ongoing fierce rivalry with Arsenal, some Tottenham fans were more than willing to sacrifice their Champions League hopes if it meant denying their North London rivals a title. A late-season 2-0 loss to Manchester City was decisive for both teams’ aspirations.Maresca has more to learn! City easily crush Chelsea 2-0!Postecoglou, in his debut campaign with Spurs, navigated the team to a respectable fifth-place finish, securing Europa League qualification, although fans were left wondering what could have been. Postecoglou’s remarkable start saw him gather 26 points in his first 10 Premier League games – a feat no manager had previously achieved. But injuries and inconsistency disrupted their title push.Still, Postecoglou has been clear that his focus in year one was on progress, not necessarily a top-four finish, and Tottenham’s preseason form initially looked promising. They easily dispatched teams like Hearts, QPR, and Vissel Kobe. However, back-to-back losses to Bayern Munich sides, with Harry Kane now donning the Bayern jersey, disrupted their momentum ahead of the new campaign.The upcoming clash with Leicester will also be a significant moment for new Foxes boss, Steve Cooper, who took over from Maresca after Leicester’s return to the top flight. The 2015-16 Premier League champions clinched promotion last season with 97 points, but a late-season dip in form under Maresca led to his departure.Cooper’s tenure began with a solid preseason, featuring wins against Villarreal and Shrewsbury Town, but Leicester have since endured three consecutive defeats to Palermo, Augsburg, and Lens. On top of that, the club faces the threat of a potential points deduction for financial breaches, though any verdict is not expected until 2025.##EDITORS_CHOICE##Now, attention shifts to Monday’s contest, where Leicester will aim to replicate their memorable 4-1 thrashing of Spurs from February 2023.Tottenham, however, have dealt with some internal issues. Yves Bissouma has been suspended for the opening game after he was caught inhaling laughing gas, and injury concerns loom over Fraser Forster (foot) and Richarlison (calf). Yet, the arrival of Dominic Solanke for 76000,000 euros offers Spurs new firepower, and he is expected to make his full debut.Tottenham’s captain, Son Heung-min, remains a key player to watch, with an impressive record of 13 goal contributions in 14 appearances against Leicester. As for Leicester, they’ve already suffered a big setback with Patson Daka sidelined due to ankle surgery, and Jamie Vardy is still recovering from a pre-season injury. Conor Coady (hamstring) and Luke Thomas are also doubts, while Harry Winks is poised to start against his former club in midfield.Both teams have much to prove in what promises to be a fiercely contested battle at the King Power Stadium.🗣 “I just make the decisions mate.”Ange Postecoglou is a BIG fan of Dominic Solanke and believes the striker will improve Spurs 💪#bbcfootball #THFC pic.twitter.com/edwqtHlzxH— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) August 19, 2024 ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE – MATCHDAY 1FridayMan.Utd. – Fulham 1-0 (0-0)/Zirkzee 87/SaturdayIpswich – Liverpool 0-2 (0-0)/Jota 60, Salah 65/Arsenal – Wolverhampton 2-0 (1-0)/Havertz 25 Saka 74 /Everton – Brighton 0-3 (0-1)/Mitoma 25, Welbeck 56, Adingra 86/Newcastle – Southampton 1-0 (1-0)/Joelington 45/Nott.Forest – Bournemouth 1-1 (1-0)/Wood 23 – Semenyo 86/West Ham – Aston Villa 1-2 (1-1)/Paqueta 37 pen – Onana 3, Duran 79/SundayBrentford – Crystal Palace 2-1 (1-0)/Mbeumo 29, Wissa 76 – Pinnock 57 og/Chelsea – Man. City 0-2 (0-1)/Haaland 18, Kovacic 84/Monday22:00: (5.20) Leicester (4.00) Tottenham (1.65)***odds are subject to change***
