Newcastle vs Leicester could be decided by Jamaal Lascelles’ duel with Jamie Vardy

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

After being held to a goalless draw by fellow relegation contenders Brighton at St James’ Park last weekend, Newcastle make the trip to Leicester on Sunday looking to get back to winning ways. The Foxes meanwhile pulled off an impressive comeback against Tottenham in the Premier League – a result that saw them climb into third. So playing Brendan Rodgers’ side right now is probably not the easiest of fixtures the Magpies could have hoped for.

And one man they will certainly need to keep an eye on is Jamie Vardy. The 32-year-old has had an indifferent campaign so far, scoring just three goals in total. However, the striker’s raw attributes always make him a handful for opposition defenders, and it will be up to Newcastle skipper Jamaal Lascelles to marshal his troops at the back. Judging by the under-lying stats of the duo so far this season, it promises to be a game-defining contest.

The Magpies have stuck to a tried-and-trusted game-plan this campaign of sitting back and soaking up the pressure, before trying to hit teams on the counter. The approach produced a superb 1-0 victory away at Tottenham, but it hasn’t delivered consistent success. The defensive tactics means it’s no surprise to see Lascelles register impressive numbers in clearances and blocks per game.

One thing the 25-year-old will absolutely have to watch out for however, is Vardy’s trade-mark runs in behind. The Leicester forward has made those penetrating movements his bread and butter, and playing such a risky game has resulted in him being caught offside 1.5 times per match. If Lascelles can organise his team’s defensive line, and keep them compact, then the Foxes man’s main threat will be largely nullified.

However, Vardy comes alive in fits and bursts, and so the Newcastle centre-back really cannot afford to have a slip-up in concentration. If he does, the striker will undoubtedly make the Magpies pay. After all, this is a man who has scored 110 goals in 277 Leicester appearances. Whether Lascelles can keep a lid on the sprint king will have a major bearing on if Steve Bruce’s men can walk away with a positive result.