Gary Lineker has suggested that Leicester have been put at a disadvantage in the Premier League relegation battle by having to play four games in succession on a Monday.
The Foxes are in deep trouble, sitting 19th in the Premier League table, three points from safety with two matches left to play. Dean Smith’s side play Newcastle at St James’ Park on Monday before finishing their campaign at home to West Ham on the final day of the season.
They have failed to win any of their past four matches and a Leeds win over West Ham in Sunday’s early kick-off would ramp up the importance of the match against Newcastle. The trip to Tyneside will be Leicester’s fourth game in a row on a Monday, following games against Everton, Fulham and Liverpool.
It is a quirk of the fixture list that has been created by Sky Sports, who have broadcast all three matches on their Monday Night Football programme. But discussing the relegation battle on Match of the Day on Saturday night, Leicester fan Lineker hinted that something more sinister could be at play.
“Let’s have a look at how it stands at the bottom,” he said to pundits Alan Shearer and Jermaine Jenas while looking at the remaining fixtures for Leicester, Leeds and Everton. “For some of us it makes awfully grim viewing, but we’ll have a gander nevertheless.
“Huge game tomorrow, Leeds vs West Ham. Obviously Leicester play on Monday, again, that’s four Mondays on the bounce – I don’t know if it’s some kind of plan to make sure Leicester go down…”
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Shearer interjected with “Oh stop it!” before Lineker continued: “Conspiracy theories there… No, what do you think? Give me some hope.”
Jenas: “We’re at the end of the season where there are some strange things – West Ham, for example, have the Europa Conference League final and they’re playing in two of the games. They’ve got yourselves (Leicester) last game of the season and Leeds are going to be facing them as well. What team David Moyes picks out, I don’t know. It’s looking bleak for Leicester in my opinion.”
Lineker: “Your guys now, Newcastle, are pretty much absolutely certain to be in the Champions League …”
Jenas: “What’s he asking?”
Lineker: “Can you take it easy on Monday? Just relax a little bit… Anyway, we’ll move on!”
Yerry Mina’s 98th-minute equaliser for Everton at Wolves on Saturday could prove to be hugely significant in the relegation battle. It moved Sean Dyche’s side onto 33 points – two ahead of Leeds and three clear of Leicester in 19th place.
Leicester simply need to win at Newcastle on Monday to give themselves a fighting chance of staying up. However, the Magpies will be highly motivated themselves, needing one more point to be sure of Champions League football next season.
