Harry Kane’s impressive record against Foxes promises goals, while Liverpool won't fear Chris Wood
- Paul Okey
- 29 April 2022
Planet Sport picks out seven Premier League forwards to see if their records against their next opponents can offer a pointer as to how they will perform this weekend.
Harry Kane has drawn a blank in his last five games but the Tottenham striker looks a good shout to get back on the goalscoring trail on Sunday - if we can read anything into his past form against Leicester.
Planet Sport has analysed Kane's record against Sunday's opponents along with six other top-flight strikers in action over the bank holiday weekend.
And there's good news for fans of the Spurs striker with the England captain boasting an impressive record against the Foxes, a club he was loaned to in 2013.
Harry Kane (Tottenham)
Home to Leicester, Saturday, 14:00 BST
Kane has struggled to reach the heights of previous campaigns, with his 12 Premier League goals some way down on his 23 from 2020/21.
A run of seven goals in six Premier League games during February and early March promised a return to the prolific form of seasons past. However, despite having failed to notch since the 2-0 win over Brighton on March 16, five assists in five games have kept the England striker in the thick of the action.
However, the visit of Leicester will be eagerly anticipated by the 28-year-old.
En 2017 Harry Kane marquait un quadruplé contre Leicester (1-6) 🐐 pic.twitter.com/XnfLCithUQ
— Harry Kane 🇫🇷 (@HarryKaneFR) April 26, 2022
Kane has scored an incredible 18 goals in 17 appearances against the Foxes, including four in a 6-1 win in 2016/17 and a hat-trick in a 4-3 success in the 2014/15 campaign.
In fact, in 13 Premier League games against the East Midlands side, Kane has only failed to get on the scoresheet in three of them, and one of those was a 16-minute substitute appearance.
Chris Wood (Newcastle)
Home to Liverpool, Saturday, 12.30 BST
While Kane will fancy filling his boots this weekend, Newcastle United striker Chris Wood will be awaiting the visit of Liverpool with some trepidation - and not just because of the imperious form of Jurgen Klopp's side.
Wood has faced the Merseyside giants ten times for Burnley and West Brom and has yet to produce a goal or an assist.
Maybe to be expected for a striker who has never been the most prolific. However, a little more notable when you consider Manchester City are the only other top-flight side Wood has drawn a blank against.
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Away to Newcastle, Saturday, 12:30 BST
Salah has faced Newcastle ten times and never lost, with his six goals in his last eight against them a massive factor.
He has had four blanks in his last five Premier League appearances, however, though assists in his last three games have kept the Liverpool bandwagon rolling.
In contrast to Salah's impressive scoring record against the Magpies, Roberto Firmino has yet to notch in ten games against the north-east club. Only Everton, with 12 games, have kept him scoreless longer.
Danny Ings (Aston Villa)
Home to Norwich, Saturday, 15:00 BST
Ings' move to Aston Villa hasn't worked out. The former Southampton striker has only scored three times since the opening month of the season, while his Premier League tally of five is his lowest since 2017/18 when he made just eight appearances for Liverpool.
But there's good news, Norwich City are next up.
Ings has scored three times in four appearances against the Canaries. His only failure came in the reverse fixture when a 30-minute cameo failed to produce a goal in a 2-0 win for the Villans.
Christian Benteke (Crystal Palace)
At Southampton, Saturday, 15:00 BST
Benteke was introduced for six minutes in Crystal Palace's goalless draw with Leeds but will be pressing his claims for a longer runout against the Saints, against whom he possesses a decent record.
The 31-year-old has scored six times in 14 appearances against Southampton, one short of his best haul against an opposing club.
He has failed to score for Palace since netting twice against Burnley in November and has only accrued 115 minutes of first-team action this year. But he can point to a goal against the Saints last season, albeit in a 3-1 defeat.
Joshua King (Watford)
Home to Burnley, Saturday, 15:00 BST
Another striker in dire need of a goal is Joshua King whose Watford side find themselves drinking in an establishment that has become a regular haunt in recent seasons.
It seems a world away from October when King bagged a hat-trick in a 5-2 shellacking of Everton.
King has only scored twice since and none since November, which resulted in his relegation to the bench.
However, he played a full 90 minutes in the 5-1 defeat to Manchester City and will be eyeing a far easier afternoon on Saturday when Burnley are the visitors.
King has three goals in 13 previous appearances against the Clarets. But rather like his run of goals against Everton, three came in his first four appearances and he has failed to score against them since notching for Bournemouth in the 2017/18 campaign.
Jamie Vardy (Leicester)
At Tottenham, Sunday, 14:00 BST
Injuries have restricted Vardy to just one Premier League goal since November and the England striker has understandably looked short of fitness since returning from a knee injury.
Nevertheless, 19 minutes against Aston Villa in the Premier League and just over an hour in the Europa League against Roma will have done wonders for his sharpness.
The veteran netted nine Premier League goals before the first of his injury absences and has eight goals and five assists from 15 appearances against Spurs.
The most recent of those came last season, with Vardy netting three times across the two meetings with the north London side.
