It will be up to Leicester and Sheffield United to open the knockout phase of the FA Cup in its 2017/2018 edition. The match will take place this Friday, February 16 at Power Stadium in Leicester. The kickoff is scheduled for 17:45.
This is the last phase of the competition in which the replay regulation is used. This means that if there is a tie, a new match with inverted field control will take place. Only in this second game is that the definition is mandatory. New equality requires the holding of extension and, persisting the tie, decision through penalty kicks.

Leicester’s recent performance

Without great pretensions in the English League, the England Cup is the only hope that Leicester can shine in the final stretch of the season. The team opened their participation in the tournament already in the third stage. As a visitor, he tied 0-0 with Fleetwood. In the ‘replay’, made use of the field command scoring 2 to 0 on the rival.
In the fourth phase, his life was quieter. Far from his dominance, he thrashed Peterborough 5-1. He secured, without having yet to face another Premier League team, the right to advance to the quarterfinals.
The recent phase, however, is not the best. In the last three matches of the English Premier League, Leicester reached only one point. Away from home, he was defeated by Everton (2 to 1) and Manchester City (5 to 1). In their stadium, tied with Swansea (1 to 1).
With 35 points (nine wins, eight draws and ten losses), he is in eighth place. Having left 11 days to go, he has no real chance of taking part in European tournaments along the way. The difference for Tottenham, fifth place, which closes this block, is 17 points.
The relegation, although it can not be ruled out, is not a great threat either. Leicester have nine points more than Southampton, eighteenth and first in the sticking region.
To face Sheffield United, French coach Claude Puel has two doubts about players who are regularly used on the starting lineup. Defender Wes Morgan (22 matches in English League 2017/2018, no goal) and striker Shinji Okazaki (23 matches, six goals) are in the process of injury recovery. New tests will indicate if they can be made available to the coach.

The current form of Sheffield United

For Sheffield United, the FA Cup is a nuisance on the calendar. After all, the club’s main goal is to make it to the Premier League. You have a chance for that. After beating Leeds 2-1, they reached 49 points (15 wins, four draws and 12 losses). It is in the eighth position.
In the Championship, the Second Division of the English Championship, the top two placed at the end of 46 rounds guarantee access to the elite of the local football. Who finishes between the third and sixth positions still has the chance to play the last place in the play-off.
The difference from Sheffield to Aston Villa, which is in second place, is ten points. In the comparison with Bristol City, sixth place, the disadvantage is only three points. Thus, the match against the QPR, scheduled for February 20, ends up being much more important than the confrontation on Friday.
For her, coach Chris Wilder has two medical problems to manage. The Welsh defender Kieron Freeman (eight games in the Premier League in the 2017/2018 season without a goal) and Scottish midfielder Paul Coutts (16 games, one goal) are in the infirmary.

History of the bouts between Leicester and Sheffield United
Rivals in the times of the Second Division, the teams faced 13 times. Leicester won five times. Sheffield got the better of them on five occasions, too. The draws were three. The teams, now in different divisions, have faced each other this season. For the League Cup, Leicester dispatched Sheffield 4-1.

Playing at home against a second division side focused on the tournament, Leicester are the best betting option in Friday’s showdown. He has a prize of 1.57 in Bet365. Draw shows return of 4.00 and successful visitor yields 5.50 per 1. Quotes were in effect at 14:25 on 2/14/2018.

– Leicester win @ 1.57
– DRAW @ 4.00
– Sheffield United win @ 5.50