Leicester City

Leicester could have gone as high as 12th with a win at Southampton, but instead remain 15th, three points clear of the drop zone.

Defeat at St Mary's means Brendan Rodgers' side have now lost each of their past four, scoring once in a defeat by Championship side Blackburn Rovers in the FA Cup on Tuesday.

Since the Premier League resumed after the World Cup, Leicester have picked up just seven points from 10 matches.

It was, as it so often is with Leicester this season, a case of what might have been.

The visitors had the pick of the chances throughout with forward Kelechi Iheanacho gifted an opportunity midway through the second period, intercepting a pass from Saints goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu, but lifting his effort into roof of the net.

And in the last embers of the match Bazunu failed to connect to Maddison's outswinging cross, leaving Harry Souttar with an open goal, but the defender's header clipped the top of the crossbar and went over.

Leicester are at home to out-of-form Chelsea next Saturday. Will they finally stop the rot?

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Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live: "The players made a great start to the game.

"We obviously gave away the penalty but Danny Ward makes a great save and that gave them momentum for five or 10 minutes.

"Apart from that I thought we were good in the game, it was just the final third where we had good chances but didn't make the keeper work enough.

"The players gave their all and I can't fault that.

"I think Southampton got a lift from missing the penalty but only for a short period and we played our way back in and dominated the second half.

"We're disappointed in how we conceded the goal but we gave everything."

On finding consistency: "We started the season poorly, one point from six games and then we went on a nice run but we haven't found our rhythm since we came back from the World Cup.

"We just need to stay together now and keep fighting.

"When I see the team perform like tonight it gives me confidence. The worry is if you're not creating chances. A draw would have been disappointing but I really feel for the players."

On the injury to Victor Kristiansen: "He hurt his ankle in training so he'll be out for around four weeks. It's a shame because he's been really good for us."

The confirmed Southampton and Leicester City team news is in, with kick-off at St Mary's Stadium just under an hour away.

Follow live updates, plus the rest of Saturday's action here

Image source, Getty Images

While Brendan Rodgers didn't want to build Saturday's trip to Southampton up too highly, Foxes defender Wout Faes said it's a "must-win" game.

Speaking about the position Leicester City find themselves in, the defender told BBC Radio Leicester's Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast: "It’s not good enough at the moment, but we have a massive game at the weekend which we have to win.

"There is no other choice than winning, and we are going to need to react and let’s go for it.

"If everyone looks at the table, you know we have to win. Otherwise they get closer and we want to look up, so it’s three points we have to take.

"It’s not the place you want to be - but it’s like this. It’s all up to us to get out of there. We have 14 games which we can win and we have to prepare like every game is a final.

"We have to stay together and give every game 100%."

When Rodgers was asked if he agreed with Faes' comments, he said: "I don’t think so. It makes it really difficult if you lose that game, but that’s not our intention.

"There is still such a long way to go, but you can’t deny it’s an important game."

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For this week's Premier League predictions Chris Sutton is up against rapper and Arsenal fan AntsLive.

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

Both of these teams had an absolute shocker in the FA Cup in midweek, losing at home to lower division sides.

Southampton's defeat by League Two side Grimsby Town is the more damaging one for their manager, because Ruben Selles has only just started out.

But Leicester's result was awful as well. They were second best for long periods of their game against Blackburn Rovers and got what they deserved. The FA Cup could have rescued a miserable season for the Foxes, but not any more.

So, both sets of fans will be sore after what has just happened and I don't think they will get much to give them a lift here either.

Both teams are desperate for a win, but I'm going for a draw.

AntsLive's prediction: 1-2

Find out how Sutton and AntsLives think the other games will go here

Already bottom of the Premier League and now knocked out of the FA Cup by League Two Grimsby Town, how will Southampton respond against Leicester City on Saturday?

Former Manchester City and Tottenham midfielder Michael Brown tells The Football News Show that even those who didn't feature against Grimsby are likely to be downhearted by the result and that Brendan Rodgers' Foxes side will look to capitalise on Saints' shaky confidence.

Watch Friday's The Football News Show on BBC iPlayer

Southampton forward Che Adams is available after missing the past three games because of injury.

Juan Larios is nearing a first-team return, but Tino Livramento remains a long-term absentee.

Leicester City midfielder James Maddison is expected to return to the side after he missed the defeat by Arsenal through illness.

Ryan Bertrand, Jonny Evans, James Justin and Youri Tielemans are still on the sidelines.

Predict the Southampton starting XI

Who do you think will make Leicester's line-up?

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Leicester and Everton are monitoring Bologna and Scotland midfielder Lewis Ferguson, 23. (Nicolo Schira, external)

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