Live Leicester City vs Newcastle United: Lineups and latest updates from the Premier League

Telegraph

07-04-2025

Latest updates
Greg Wilcox
07 April 2025 6:52pm
6:51PM
Here be Newcastle's XI
Unchanged. 👊 pic.twitter.com/4gBSO7Bh3X
— Newcastle United (@NUFC) April 7, 2025
6:50PM
Here's how the hosts line up
Our XI on Filbert Way 🔷 #LEINEW pic.twitter.com/kMa3IPNvAd
— Leicester City (@LCFC) April 7, 2025
5:07PM
Newcastle in search of top-four boost
Anyone get the feeling this season is all but over?
Virtually guaranteed the title, Liverpool already look as though they're in end-of-term mode, as their defending and defeat at Fulham possibly indicates. Southampton are definitely down and, barring miracles of the sort that don't even happen in barely believable Hollywood films, so are Leicester and Ipswich. Which leaves us the battle for the Champions League spots – and considering Man City's seemingly half-hearted approach to yesterday's Manchester derby, even they're not overly bothered by that little race.
All in all, the sense of anti-climax to the season is as all-pervading as the blue skies that currently bathe the country.
Which, brings us to tonight's match: Leicester vs Newcastle. I am not going to lie, it's a hard sell. But finding my inner-estate agent here's why it matters.
(i) Newcastle, still basking in the warm glow of the Carabao Cup win (I think the open-top bus parade has now concluded...) need to focus their attention on finishing in the top four. Leicester are on a seven-match losing streak and three points for Eddie Howe's side will take them level on points with fourth-placed Chelsea with a game in hand. Also, anything but a win and a boost to the goal difference will, likely, be deemed a failure.
(ii) Ruud van Nistelrooy did enough at PSV to suggest he might have a future as a manager. These past few months in the East Midlands have destroyed all that embryonic hope. Seven defeats on the trot, without scoring in any of them, is enough to hurt the standing of any coach. For one at the start of his career, it could prove fatal. These end-of-season matches still matter to the Van Nistelrooys, Leicester are down, but he is, not yet at least, out.
(iii) This one might be stretching it a bit, I'll admit, but this is the stage of the season when, with the temperatures rising and shackles off (yes, I am looking at you Mr Van Nistelrooy...) you get the odd bizarrely entertaining match and quirky result...