City’s Last Five Opening Day Fixtures
In recent years, the Foxes have fared well during their maiden game of the campaign, having won six of their last 10, losing only three in that period.
They have scored in all 10 of those games, finding the back of the net on 21 occasions and conceding 14 times.
Here’s how we’ve fared in our previous five opening day fixtures…
Arsenal 4 Leicester 3
Friday 11 August, 2017
Emirates Stadium
Goals: Lacazette 2, Welbeck 45, Ramsey 83, Giroud 85; Okazaki 5, Vardy 29, 56
It proved to be a frantic start to the 2017/18 season for Leicester City when they faced the Gunners in north London. Shinji Okazaki did brilliantly to cancel out Alexandre Lacazette’s opener before Jamie Vardy put City in front just before the half-hour mark. Danny Welbeck levelled matters before the break, while Vardy struck again 10 minutes into the second half to give the Foxes a 2-3 lead in the capital. However, two goals in as many minutes from Aaron Ramsey and Olivier Giroud turned the game on its head. While disappointed to concede the lead on two occasions, Leicester showed plenty of promise against a talented Gunners outfit.
Hull City 2 Leicester City 1
Saturday 13 August, 2016
KCOM Stadium
Goals: Diomande 45, Snodgrass 57; Mahrez pen 47
With a maiden campaign in the UEFA Champions League fast approaching and the defence of their Premier League title set to get underway, the Foxes headed into the 2016/17 campaign on a huge high. Big things were expected of City in Saturday’s early kick-off, but they could not get going at the KCOM Stadium and goals from Adama Diomande and Robert Snodgrass either side of Riyad Mahrez’s spot kick saw them lose their first opening day fixture in six years. Four games later, Leicester defeated Club Brugge 0-3 in their first ever Champions League outing.
Leicester City 4 Sunderland 2
Saturday 8 August, 2015
King Power Stadium
Goals: Vardy 11, Mahrez 18, pen 25, Albrighton 66; Defoe 60, Fletcher 71
The victory over Sunderland provided the foundation for a remarkable title win. Under new manager Claudio Ranieri, the Foxes started the season with a dominant performance in which they scored three times in the space of 15 minutes. Jamie Vardy’s opener was the first of his 24 Premier League goals that term, while a double from Riyad Mahrez set him on the way to 17 strikes. The Algerian would register a further 11 assists to help his side take the sporting world by storm. Thirty-five league fixtures after beating the Black Cats, Ranieri’s side were crowned champions of England.
Leicester City 2 Everton 2
Saturday 16 August, 2014
King Power Stadium
Goals: Ulloa 22, Wood 86; McGeady 20, Naismith 45
Leicester’s return to the Premier League after a 10-year absence was marked by an entertaining draw with Everton, who the previous season finished fifth in the table. A stunner from Aiden McGeady was swiftly cancelled out by Leonardo Ulloa, who fired in from close range to make it 1-1 on Filbert Way. Steven Naismith restored the Toffees' advantage, before Chris Wood, four minutes from the end, netted a dramatic equaliser. In their next two home league matches, Nigel Pearson’s men drew 0-0 with Arsenal before recovering from 1-3 down to beat Manchester United 5-3 in one of the Club’s most famous wins of all time.
Middlesbrough 1 Leicester City 2
Saturday 3 August, 2013
Riverside Stadium
Goals: St Ledger o.g. 35; Drinkwater 60, Vardy 67
Following a dramatic Play-Off defeat to Watford a season earlier, Leicester City were aiming to begin their promotion bid with a positive result and that’s exactly what happened at the Riverside Stadium. Despite falling behind to a first-half own goal from Sean St Ledger, Danny Drinkwater and Jamie Vardy were both on target to seal three points on the opening day of 2013/14. They went on to win the Championship by nine points, losing just six league fixtures all season.