Leicester City striker Islam Slimani. (Photo : Getty Images)
Newly-promoted side Middlesbrough FC (4-9-6, 18 points) will host defending champions Leicester City (5-9-5, 20 points) at their home field of Riverside Stadium on Monday, Jan. 2 as round 20 of the 2016-2017 Premier League season commences.
Start Time and Streaming Info
The game starts at 7:30 a.m. ET. It can be viewed live online thru FuboTV.
Middlesbrough has been reeling in their last five games with four losses and only one win. They are currently on a two-game losing slide which placed them in the 16th spot of the English top flight table, four points above the bottom three relegation area.
The Boro is coming off a sorry 1-2 defeat in the hands of surging contenders Manchester United on the road at the Old Trafford last Saturday, as per The Guardian.
It was a goalless first half for both squads. Middlesbrough captain Grant Leadbitter was able to break the deadlock in the 67th minute with a right-footed shot from the center of the box off a headed cross by Spanish striker Alvaro Negredo.
However, United was able to come back as the Red Devils scored the last two goals of the contest, courtesy of Anthony Martial and Paul Pogba in the 85th and 86th minutes.
Meanwhile, Leicester City snapped a three-game winless skid with a tough 1-0 victory over middling team West Ham United at their home ground of King Power Stadium also last Saturday, Sports Mole reported.
Algerian striker Islam Slimani provided the winning goal of the match with a header in the 20th minute for head coach Claudio Ranieri's side.
It was only the fifth victory for the Foxes in their title-defense this season as the team is settled in the 15th place in the overall standings, just two points above Middlesbrough.
Leicester is a long way from a potential second straight Champions League appearance as they 19 points below fourth-place team Tottenham Hotspur, who holds the fourth and final qualifying berth for next season.
Prediction and Predicted Lineup
The predicted result is a close 2-1 win by Leicester City.
Middlesbrough starting lineup (4-1-4-1 formation): Valdes; Friend, Gibson, Chambers, Espinosa; Downing; Leadbitter, de Roon, Forshaw, Traore; Negredo
Leicester City starting lineup (4-2-3-1 formation): Schmeichel; Chilwell, Huth, Simpson, Morgan; Gray, Mahrez; Amartey, Albrighton, Drinkwater; Slimani
