Leicester
Leicester City’s defence could be unbreakable if Puel decides to partner this £3.5m star with Harry Maguire
Why Jonny Evans is the perfect centre-back partner for Harry Maguire
Leicester City were unable to get past a rigid Manchester United that won 2-1 against the Foxes on the opening day of the Premier League. Claude Puel rested a number of his team’s leading stars and that showed in their performance. Jamie Vardy scored within minutes of coming on but had he started, things could have ended differently.
The manager also decided to keep new defensive recruitment Jonny Evans on the bench. The former West Bromwich Albion defender joined the Foxes for a fee of around £3.5million on a three-year deal (h/t BBC). The centre-back will certainly provide the club with defensive solidity as they must return to their best ways.
Claude Puel opted to go with a Harry Maguire-Wes Morgan pairing in the loss against United, but perhaps the manager should choose Evans to partner Maguire in the next game. After all, Evans is a defensively resilient and reliable man at the back.
Jonny Evans
He possesses a vast amount of experience in the English Premier League, having plied his trade with Manchester United during his early days. An able defender and authoritative presence at the back, Evans could be a leader for the Foxes in the defence. He would also prove to be an important voice of motivation in the dressing room.
Evans is a calm and composed defender who is rarely prone to making mistakes. The centre-back seems to have gotten better with age. Despite being 30, Evans played some of his best football for the Baggies over the last two seasons. He was a sentinel in the defence, alongside Ahmed Hegazi.
One of the greatest qualities Evans possesses is the ability to gel alongside any centre-back. Evans immediately builds a strong and understanding relationship with his partner which naturally tightens things up at the back.
Harry Maguire has been making headlines since his move to Leicester City last season and one can only imagine the bond the pair could strike up. Both are tough-tackling English defenders who are very hard to beat.
Like Maguire, Evans also poses a massive threat from set-pieces. He’s strong in the air and made a number of vital headed clearances for the Baggies last season. West Brom scored the most number of goals from set-pieces last season and Evans played a major part in that.
As the Foxes look for their first win of the season against newly-promoted Wolverhampton Wanderers next, Claude Puel should certainly start Jonny Evans. The former Manchester United defender will be a commanding presence at the back for the Foxes, making them a hard team to breach.
Leicester
Manchester City Women Cruising to WSL Title After Demolishing Leicester 6-0 as Champions Elect Maintain Commanding Eight Point Lead at Top of Table
Manchester City Women are absolutely cruising towards another Women’s Super League title after demolishing Leicester City 6-0 at the Joie Stadium. The champions elect maintain a commanding eight point lead at the top of the table and look completely unstoppable at this stage of the campaign.
Vivianne Miedema grabbed a first half brace while Bunny Shaw scored her 15th goal of the season as City completely dominated the newly promoted Foxes. Leicester came closest when Alisha Lehmann hit the post early on, but that was as good as it got for the visitors. This victory marked City’s 10th WSL win over Leicester and extended their incredible run to nine straight meetings without conceding a single goal against them.
Spurs Hit Seven Past Villa
Tottenham produced the performance of the weekend by thrashing Aston Villa 7-3 at Villa Park. Spurs absolutely battered Villa in the first half with Signe Gaupset, Bethany England, and Olivia Holdt all finding the net before halftime. Cathinka Tandberg came off the bench to grab a brace in the second period as Tottenham ran riot.
Villa did grab three consolation goals through Kirsty Hanson twice and Oriane Jean-François, but were completely outclassed. This result keeps Tottenham firmly in the hunt for European qualification spots and shows they are hitting peak form at exactly the right time.
United Edge Past London City
Manchester United secured a hard fought 2-1 victory over London City Lionesses to maintain their grip on second place. The newly promoted visitors shocked Old Trafford by taking the lead through Nikita Parris after just five minutes. Jess Park dragged United level before Millie Turner headed home the winner in the 79th minute.
Chelsea beat Liverpool 2-0 at Kingsmeadow while Everton edged West Ham 1-0. Brighton versus Arsenal was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.
Marc Skinner’s side continued their unbeaten start to 2026 in the Women’s Super League with a deserved 2-0 victory over Leicester at the King Power Stadium. Swedish star Julia Zigiotti Olme was key to United’s win with a goal and an assist, while super sub Elisabeth Terland made the game safe late on.
United started brightly and were ahead after 13 minutes when Zigiotti Olme’s cross beat Olivia Clark and crept in at the far post. Melvine Malard was twice denied by Clark before halftime as United dominated but couldn’t extend their lead.
The pressure eventually told late on when Terland made the game safe. Zigiotti Olme won the ball back high up the pitch and fed Terland, who showed great footwork to fire a low shot across the goal to seal a deserved victory.
Goalkeeper & Defence
Phallon Tullis-Joyce (7/10): Called into action on several occasions but looked confident with no real scares.
Hanna Lundkvist (6/10): Did a good job filling in. Had a chance from a corner but couldn’t keep her header down.
Maya Le Tissier (7/10): Commanding performance from the captain who dealt comfortably with Leicester’s threat.
Dominique Janssen (7/10): Good shift alongside Le Tissier as Leicester struggled to cause problems.
Anna Sandberg (8/10): Strong showing from left back, always getting forward with good deliveries. Lucky to escape a penalty shout.
Midfield & Attack
Hinata Miyazawa (7/10): Great partnership with Zigiotti Olme on show again. Sent in an excellent ball for Schuller.
Julia Zigiotti Olme (8/10): United’s best player by a distance. Broke deadlock with cross that crept in before teeing up Terland. Absolutely outstanding.
Lisa Naalsund (6/10): Really quiet showing after starring against Liverpool. Hooked just after the hour.
Jess Park (6/10): Not at her best as Leicester kept her quiet. Engineered a chance, but the ball got stuck under her feet.
Lea Schuller (7/10): Her presence might have distracted the goalkeeper for the opener. Worked hard up front.
Melvine Malard (8/10): A real nuisance, making great runs. Had sights on the goal but couldn’t beat Clark.
Subs & Manager
Jayde Riviere (7/10): Solid showing off the bench. Good block on Alisha Lehmann late on.
Fridolina Rolfo (6/10): Had some good moments but couldn’t conjure up the second goal.
Elisabeth Terland (8/10): Loves scoring against Leicester. Five goals in five outings against the Foxes. Incredible record.
Simi Awujo (7/10): Forced Clark into a good save. Looked lively.
Marc Skinner (7/10): Happy with the win but disappointed by the margin. United dominated but needs more ruthlessness in front of the goal.
Also read: Manchester United WFC vs. Liverpool WFC : Predicted Lineups + Match Preview
Leicester City Women host Manchester United at the King Power Stadium on Sunday as both sides look to strengthen their positions in the WSL table. The Foxes sit ninth with 12 points from 14 matches, while United occupy fifth place with 27 points, just one point behind third placed Arsenal in the race for automatic Champions League qualification.
Marc Skinner’s side comes into this match full of confidence after reaching the Women’s League Cup final with a 1-0 victory over Arsenal. However, they then suffered a setback with a 4-1 defeat at Aston Villa, meaning United desperately need three points to keep pace with the top three. Leicester have been transformed under Rick Passmoor and will fancy their chances of causing an upset.
Kick-off: 14:00 GMT, Saturday, 7 February 2026
Venue: King Power Stadium, Leicester
TV: Sky Sports and WSL YouTube
United Must Bounce Back From Villa Hammering
Manchester United’s 4-1 defeat at Aston Villa was a shocking result that exposed defensive frailties Skinner thought he had solved. Ella Toone remains out until March with a hip injury, robbing United of their most creative midfielder during a crucial period in the season.
Fridolina Rolfo should return after missing the Villa match, while Gabby George and Leah Galton remain sidelined. Elisabeth Terland has struggled for form recently despite scoring against Villa, netting just two goals since her flying start to the campaign. Ellen Wangerheim could feature after impressing in recent weeks.
Lehmann Arrival Transforms Leicester Attack
Leicester have been revitalized since Rick Passmoor took charge, steadying the ship after a difficult start to the season. The January signing of Alisha Lehmann from FC Como represents a major coup for the Foxes, bringing WSL experience and proven quality from her time with West Ham, Everton and Aston Villa.
Rachel Williams, signed from Tottenha,m provides another attacking threat alongside Jutta Rantala. This is a genuinely dangerous Leicester side capable of punishing any complacency from United, who cannot afford another slip up in their top three pursuit.
Predicted Lineups
Leicester (4-2-3-1): Leitzig; Nevin, Howard, Pacheco, Goodwin; Cain, Whelan; Lehmann, Tierney, Chan; Williams
Manchester United (4-2-3-1): Tullis-Joyce; Lundkvist, Le Tissier, Janssen, Sandberg; Miyazawa, Naalsund; Malard, Terland, Rolfo; Schuller
Also read: Arsenal WFC vs. Leicester City WFC: Predicted Lineups + Match Preview
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