EPL action returns to the King Power Stadium as the Foxes host Spurs.
Game week 1 of the new Premier League season concludes today with newly promoted Leicester hosting Tottenham at the King Power Stadium.
The Foxes gained automatic promotion as Championship winners last term, but they return without the manager who brought them there, with Enzo Maresca opting to take up the vacant hot seat at Chelsea during the summer break. Former Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper is now at the helm at the King Power Stadium. He faces a tough task in keeping the team in the top flight with some big gaps in his squad still to be filled, despite the big-money additions of winger Abdul Fatawu and defender Caleb Okoli.
Spurs meanwhile come into the new campaign hoping to build upon Ange Postecoglou's solid first season in charge. Key to an improvement on last term's fifth place finish will be how well main summer signing Dominic Solanke takes to life as the north London club's main striker. The former Bournemouth striker's arrival should allow for Son Heung-min to return to his more familiar wide position, giving Spurs what now looks on paper to be one of the league's most potent attacking line ups.
Leicester City vs. Tottenham Hotspur on Monday, Aug. 19 at the King Power Stadium, with kickoff set for 8 p.m. BST local time, making it a 3 p.m. ET or 12 p.m. PT start in the US and Canada and a 5 a.m. AEST kickoff in Australia early on Tuesday morning.
Below, we'll outline the best live TV streaming services to use to watch game lives wherever you are in the world.
Dominic Solanke of Tottenham Hotspur applauds the crowd ahead of the preseason friendly match between Tottenham Hotspur and Bayern Munich on Aug. 10.
Sling TV's Blue plan includes USA Network, making it a great option for those wanting to watch Premier League action. It's $40 a month and features over 40 channels, including other sports channels like ESPN and FS1.
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If you find yourself unable to view EPL matches locally, you may need a different way to watch the games -- that's where using a VPN can come in handy. A VPN is also the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds on game day by encrypting your traffic, and it's also a great idea if you're traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network, and you want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.
With a VPN, you're able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the game. Most VPNs, like our Editors' Choice, ExpressVPN, make it really easy to do this.
Using a VPN to watch or stream sports is legal in any country where VPNs are legal, including the US, UK and Canada, as long as you have a legitimate subscription to the service you're streaming. You should be sure your VPN is set up correctly to prevent leaks: Even where VPNs are legal, the streaming service may terminate the account of anyone it deems to be circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions.
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This match is exclusive to Sky Sports, showing on its Sky Sports Main Event, Premier League and Ultra channels. If you already have Sky Sports as part of your TV package, you can stream the game via its Sky Go app, but cord-cutters will want to get set up with a Now account and a Now Sports membership to stream the game.
Sky subsidiary Now (formerly Now TV) offers streaming access to Sky Sports channels with a Now Sports membership. You can get a day of access for £15, or sign up to a monthly plan from £35 a month right now.
If you want to stream this EPL game live in Canada, you'll need to subscribe to Fubo Canada. The service has exclusive rights to every Premier League fixture once again this season.
Fubo is the go-to destination for Canadians looking to watch the EPL this season, with exclusive streaming rights to every match. It costs CA$30 a month, though you can save some cash by paying quarterly or annually.
Football fans Down Under can watch EPL matches live on streaming service Optus Sport, which is showing every single Premier League fixture of the 2024/25 season live in Australia.
With exclusive rights to screen all EPL matches live this season, as well as German Bundesliga and Spanish La Liga games, streaming service Optus Sport is a particularly big draw for Aussie soccer fans.
If you're already an Optus network customer you can bag Optus Sport for a reduced price, with discounts bringing the price down to as low as AU$7 a month. If you're not, a standalone monthly subscription to the service starts at AU$25.
Football
Watch Leicester vs Tottenham on Monday Night Football, live on Sky Sports
Monday 19 August 2024 20:18, UK
Our football betting expert Jones Knows is back to provide his insight and best angles on every game as the Premier League returns.
I just love the Dominic Solanke signing. He could be the final piece of the jigsaw for Ange Postecoglou as he's the perfect modern-day centre-forward that is a great penalty-box finisher and links the play expertly.
I think Postecoglou and his methods can take him to the next level - and boy is he going to get chances playing as the focal point in this Tottenham attack.
Solanke scored 19 goals last season at Bournemouth with only two of them coming from the penalty spot - I'm fully expecting him to surpass those numbers with the level of service improving wide from areas. It's those finishes from cutbacks from wide areas he does excel with and I wouldn't be at all surprised to see him get off the mark against who I have down as the most likely to prop up the division this season.
The 4/1 with Sky Bet for Solanke to score first is begging to be backed.
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1pt on treble of Arsenal to win to nil, West Ham to avoid defeat vs Aston Villa & Dominic Solanke to score first in Leicester vs Tottenham (14/1 with Sky Bet - Bet here!)
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55 min: … then suddenly Sarr slips Solanke into space down the inside-right channel. Solanke spins and shoots, Hermansen parrying, Vestergaard heading the rebound behind for another corner.
54 min: Spurs stroke it around patiently.
52 min: … so having said that, Buonanotte advances along the right and rolls a pass infield for Vardy, who instantly shuttles the ball down the inside-left channel to release Decordova-Reid. A shot from a tight-ish angle is instantly blocked, and the flag goes up for offside anyway, but that’s probably Leicester’s best passing sequence of the match, a little succour on what has so far been a difficult night.
50 min: Ndidi half clears the corner, but Solanke picks up possession on the left flank and jigs his way out of a tight spot to keep the pressure on. Lovely feet. Maddison then dances his way down the inside-right channel. Eventually a blue shirt is skittled and the whistle goes, but Spurs continue to give Leicester the runaround.
49 min: Porro gives Johnson a ball to chase down the right. Johnson knocks it past Kristiansen, who is forced to poke out for yet another corner.
47 min: More panto pelters for Maddison as he wanders down the left. It’s the loudest Leicester’s fans are getting this evening. To be fair, their team are giving them nothing to work with. But the mood’s not great. You can feel the possible points deduction hanging over the stadium.
Leicester keep Spurs waiting awhile before they emerge from the dressing room and get the second half started. No changes. Presumably Steve Cooper has given a few of his side the what-for, and on that subject, here’s Kári Tulinius: “It’s not unusual to see a side newly promoted from the Championship be overmatched in their first game of the season, but that’s usually because the players aren’t of Premier League standard. Leicester has decent quality throughout, but there’s no pattern to their movements. Cooper changed the style, and his team hasn’t adapted. If they don’t gel soon, this might be a long season for the Foxes.”
Half-time entertainment. A new season of Football Weekly begins for your edification.
A scoreline that seriously flatters Leicester.
45 min: There will be one additional first-half minute.
44 min: Faes heads it clear with confidence.
43 min: Justin’s poor clearance is intercepted, gifting Sarr the chance to shoot from distance. His effort clanks into the nearest blue shirt and out for a corner on the right. The corner’s hit long. Solanke battles at the far post and earns another corner. Number nine will come in from the left. Maddison to take.
41 min: Buonanotte steals the ball off Udogie, and makes off down the right again. He’s hauled back by the Spurs defender, who is extremely fortunate not to go into the book for his cynicism. Winks takes the resulting free kick, and it’s an easy pluck for Vicario.
39 min: Buonanotte does well to advance down the right wing for a while, but he’s got nobody up with him to help, and eventually Van de Ven and Bentancur combine to get the ball off him.
37 min: Faes blooters long down the middle. Vardy chases after it, but Vicario comes miles out of his box to head clear. The ball drops to Decordova-Reid, who attempts to Beckham it into the empty net from halfway. It’s on, but his improvised hoick sails harmlessly wide right.
35 min: The Leicester fans are pretty quiet. Fatawu tries to cheer them up by progressing down the right, but his cross is too close to Vicario and there’s nobody in blue in the box anyway.
33 min: Maddison nearly gets another assist to his name. He shapes to shoot, but instead wedges a clever diagonal ball towards Johnson on the right-hand edge of the six-yard box. Johnson meets the dipping ball on the volley, sending it screeching across Hermansen and inches wide of the left-hand post. So close to number two.
32 min: Ndidi comes clattering into the back of Maddison, 25 yards from the Leicester goal, just to the left of the D. He’s fortunate not to go into the book. But this is a free kick in a very dangerous position. Maddison’s eyes light up.
31 min: A slightly fortunate finish, but Spurs deserved their good break. They’re more than good for their lead. Maddison, the subject of so much pantomime abuse, will be delighted with his assist.
This had been coming all right. Son probes down the left. He pulls back to find Maddison, who sends an inswinger towards Porro on the penalty spot. Porro glances the ball towards the bottom right – off his shoulder! – but it’s on target and the keeper has no chance.
27 min: … but Spurs quickly regain their smooth rhythm. Udogie and Son link up down the left, the latter spinning elegantly into the box before his low cross is hacked clear. Leicester continue to hang on in there.
26 min: It all gets a little scrappy in midfield. Leicester won’t mind that too much.
24 min: Maddison sashays down the inside-left channel before cutely wedging towards Solanke in the middle. Justin heads away. Fatawu then eases Maddison onto the floor and makes off with the ball, much to the amusement of the Leicester fans.
22 min: A free kick for Leicester in Tottenham’s half. Winks and Decordova-Reid attempt some sort of training-ground routine, but it doesn’t come off. Leicester try again, Buonanotte looking for Decordova-Reid on the left with a raking diagonal, but the ball sails out for a goal kick. Again, it’s better, though the bar’s set so low.
20 min: Spurs come again, Maddison spinning into space down the right and dinking infield for Solanke, who attempts to turn Vestergaard in the hope of shooting from close range, but falls over instead. He wants a penalty – and there was a little contact on his ankle before the defender cleared – but he’s not getting one. Referee’s call!
19 min: From Tottenham’s seventh corner, Son leans back and hoicks a cross deep into the stand behind the goal.
18 min: Johnson bustles down the right and wins a corner off Vestergaard. They’re racking them up. This is number six. It’s only half cleared, and Son has a dig from the left-hand edge of the D. The shot’s deflected out to the left for number seven.
16 min: A bit better from Leicester as Fatawu’s industry wins the ball in midfield and sends Decordova-Reid dribbling down the left. Decordova-Reid enters the box but can’t work enough space to get a shot away, eventually turning tail.
14 min: Fatawu fouls Van de Ven out on the left flank. The resulting free kick is half-cleared to Porro on the right. Porro loops into the mixer. Solanke whistles a header straight at Hermansen. Spurs have done everything except score.
13 min: Son is released into acres down the left by Sarr. He feeds Maddison on the overlap. Maddison looks for Solanke in the middle, but the low cross is bundled out for a corner, from which nothing comes. A Spurs goal feels no more than a matter of time.
11 min: Maddison links up with Son this time, and yet another corner is won down the left. He takes it himself. Fatawu eyebrows it out for a corner on the other side. Maddison takes this one too. It’s worked back to Son. He crosses for Romero, who attempts to guide a header across Hermansen and into the bottom right. He beats the keeper but the ball bounces wide right.
10 min: Udogie and Maddison combine down the left to cause Leicester more bother. The former’s low cross is tidied up by Justin. Spurs are well on top here.
8 min: Hermansen in action again as Spurs win a corner out right this time. It’s played back to Son, who curls into the mixer for Solanke, who doesn’t really connect with his low diving header, six yards out. Easy for the keeper to claim.
6 min: Son again pops up on the left and wins another corner. Maddison’s delivery is much better this time, a vicious inswinger towards the near post. Bentancur flicks it towards the top right. It’s heading in, but Ndidi clears off the line, a wonderful swivel and hook. Leicester can only half clear, then Johnson has a belt from distance. Hermansen parries well.
5 min: The corner’s no good. Maddison takes up possession again a little later, and now the boos are more audible. Pantomime season arrives earlier every year.
4 min: Son crosses from the left. It’s deflected out by Justin for the first corner of the evening. Leicester old boy Maddison gets more applause than abuse as he prepares to take it.
3 min: Spurs knock it around the back awhile, establishing some early control.
1 min: A quick hoof down the middle for Vardy to chase. At the age of 37 and without a full pre-season in his legs, he’s not beating Van de Ven any time soon. Perhaps ten years ago.
A knee of equality is taken … then Spurs get the ball rolling. The final match of the opening round is underway.
Before the match starts, there’s a minute of warm applause in memory of Craig Shakespeare, who passed away earlier this month. Shakespeare was an integral part of Leicester’s title win in 2015-16, assisting Claudio Ranieri, and went on to manage the club himself. A banner in the crowd reads “rest easy”.
The teams are out! It’s anticipation o’clock at the King Power, you can hear it, you can feel it, you can almost touch it. Both sets of fans in good voice. Leicester in blue, Spurs in white. We’ll be off in a couple of minutes.
As mentioned in the preamble, this is the highest scoring match-up in Premier League history. Here’s the top of the list of the all-time goals-per-game averages, as flashed up by Sky Sports just now.
3.8 Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur
3.7 Sunderland and Chelsea
3.4 Manchester City and Fulham Liverpool and Crystal Palace
3.3 Liverpool and Leeds United Southampton and Newcastle United
Pre-season reading. Come get it before reality starts depleting your reserves of optimism.
Ange Postecoglou’s turn for a chat with Sky. “It’s a little bit less chaotic than last year … Harry Kane left about 24 hours before the first game … so it’s fair to say we’re a little bit more settled … having said that we got off to a great start so maybe that doesn’t mean anything … whatever Spurs’ ambitions are are my ambitions … I’m certainly not here just to take part … it’s a big club … we know we haven’t had success for a long time … there’s only one way to change that … I’m really happy to get Dominic Solanke in … we were always a little bit short every week … it’s going to make an enormous difference … he’s a perfect fit for us … works hard … linking up … always in the box.”
Steve Cooper talks to Sky Sports. “Jamie Vardy came to see me a couple of days ago … he feels good and was uncomfortable we didn’t have a fully fit striker … he made himself available … you have to trust his judgement … that’s what we’ve done … the lads did brilliantly last season … to win the Championship a lot of good things have to happen … so inside the training ground it’s been really positive … a really good spirit … it’s a massive step up to the Premier League … one thing that we can do is give everything and play well … show an identity … keep the good thing going … also tailor it to what’s coming … some things might have to look a little bit different … it’s about putting a plan together.”
Jamie Vardy starts for Leicester City. Bobby Decordova-Reid and Facundo Buonanotte make their debuts. It’s too early for a sighting of former Spurs man Oliver Skipp.
Tottenham also have a debutant in their starting XI: £65m striker Dominic Solanke. Exciting new midfielders Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall are on the bench. James Maddison returns to his old club for the first time since leaving for Spurs last year.
Leicester City: Hermansen, Justin, Faes, Vestergaard, Kristiansen, Ndidi, Winks, Fatawu, Buonanotte, De Cordova-Reid, Vardy.Subs: Ward, Okoli, Mavididi, Choudhury, Ricardo Pereira, Soumare, Nelson, Cannon, McAteer.
Tottenham Hotspur: Vicario, Porro, Romero, van de Ven, Udogie, Sarr, Bentancur, Maddison, Johnson, Solanke, Son.Subs: Austin, Dragusin, Richarlison, Gray, Bergvall, Werner, Kulusevski, Spence, Davies.
Referee: Christopher Kavanagh (Lancashire).
Our XI to start our @premierleague season 📝#LEITOT pic.twitter.com/KE9ZhGxzfD
Your first Spurs team of 2024/25! 🤍 🔢 @krakenfx pic.twitter.com/NwgfiWmLFW
The very first time these two clubs met in this fixture, in the FA Cup in 1914, the game ended 5-5. Since then, Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur have met another 119 times, and there’s only been one goalless draw, at White Hart Lane in 1948. The last time the teams met, at the King Power in 2023, Leicester won 4-1, payback for the 6-2 thrashing Spurs gave them a few months earlier at their place. And in 34 Premier League meetings, these clubs have shared 128 goals at an average of 3.76 per game, the highest rate in the competition’s history. So tonight’s match comes with as close to a guarantee of goals as you’re ever going to get. Don’t disappoint us by cocking a snook to history, now, chaps. Kick-off is at 8pm BST. It’s on!
PARISH NOTICE: In the event of the first-ever 0-0 in this fixture, apologies for jinxing it will be made just after 10pm.
