Former Arsenal and Leicester defender Martin Keown has pinpointed Leicester City’s biggest weakness ahead of their crucial Premier League clash against Arsenal on Saturday.
The Foxes, currently fighting relegation, face a daunting task against an Arsenal side pushing for the league title. Keown, now a football pundit, believes Leicester’s struggles stem from their continued reliance on veteran striker Jamie Vardy, who turns 38 this season.
Speaking to talkSPORT, Keown highlighted the issue:
“I think what their problem is… is when you’re relying on a 38-year-old striker in Jamie Vardy. You get to those sorts of numbers and that sort of age, it’s quite remarkable and a testament to him that he’s still there.
“But he shouldn’t still be their best striker. They should have developed that by now. That’s an issue for them, getting people to put the ball in the back of the net. They’ve not really had the expenditure, things have sort of slowed down in that direction in the last few years.”
Vardy has been Leicester’s top scorer this season with seven goals in 22 Premier League games, but with his contract expiring at the end of the season, questions remain over the club’s long-term attacking options. Having spent 13 years at the King Power Stadium, scoring 198 goals in 487 games, Vardy remains a club legend, leading them to Premier League, FA Cup, and Community Shield triumphs.
Leicester manager Ruud van Nistelrooy, who has endured a difficult start with nine defeats in 13 matches, is under pressure to turn things around. Ahead of the Arsenal fixture, he played down the Gunners’ recent injury setbacks, including Kai Havertz being ruled out for the season.
“The depth of their squad is clear,” Van Nistelrooy said. “Not having (Bukayo) Saka and Havertz—who are absolutely top players—is something they will feel, but they have enough quality to replace them.
“The difference between us and Arsenal is big. You can see that in the table. They are fighting for the title and playing in the Champions League. It’s a big challenge for us and something to look forward to.”
Arsenal won the reverse fixture 4-2 at the Emirates in September, and with Leicester struggling for form, the Foxes face a tough battle to secure points this weekend.