2016/17 Fixture Analysis: Leicester City's title defense is examined by the Fosse Posse

The Leicester City fixture list for next season has been announced and with some new opponents on the slate, the year ahead is already exciting. Every match will be tough, but there are some crucial fixtures to watch for this coming season. Let’s take a deeper look at the schedule.

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Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images

Newly Promoted!

Hull City, Burnley, and Middlesbrough were all promoted to the Premier League for next season. The Foxes open the season away to Hull City and host the Tigers on March 4. Boro will come to Leicester on November 26 with a return fixture on January 2.

The most anticipated matches will feature the BPL champs against the Championship winners. Leicester and Burnley square off at the King Power Stadium on September 17 and again on January 31 at Turf Moor.

Roadtrip

The Foxes play consecutive road matches four times during the season:

• December 13 (Bournemouth) and 17 (Stoke)

Always two tough places to play, but should at least get one victory out of these two matches.

• January 21 (Southampton) and 31 (Burnley)

Two places where road wins can and have happened. Leicester should take both matches.

• March 11 (Arsenal) and 18 (West Ham)

Toughest portion of the schedule. Leicester need to get points on this road trip and may look to force a draw.

The March road trip is especially crucial for the Foxes. With two matches in London against top teams, consecutive losses could take all the wind out of the Leicester sails. This is easily the most important part of the schedule for Leicester.

There is also two-week international break immediately following the match against West Ham. A pair of losses without a quick chance to turn thing around could be even more devastating.

• April 8 (Everton) and 15 (Crystal Palace)

A pair of winnable matches. Can’t see Leicester losing either, but could get a draw one of them.

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Homecoming

There are several instances of consecutive home games for Leicester:

• August 20 (Arsenal) and 27 (Swansea City)

An early pair of home games. Arsenal will be tough and Swansea is usually in top form to start the season. Crucial stretch of the schedule that Leicester needs to take maximum points.

• December 26 (Everton) and 31 (West Ham)

There’s no place like home for the holidays. Leicester will host a boxing day clash with a much improved Everton squad, but should take points here.

New Year’s Eve will see plenty of fireworks between West Ham and Leicester. West Ham is a contender for the title this season and will be rejuvenated to take on Leicester. This game will likely be a memorable one and could end in a draw. It’s a toss-up for me.

• February 26 (Liverpool) and March 4 (Hull City)

Liverpool will be more difficult and could steal a road point. Hull City should be a surefire victory.

• April 1 (Stoke) and 4 (Sunderland)

Two victories for Leicester here. Stoke will be the tougher of the two but should lead to six points if all goes to plan.

Final Day

In what could be a jam-packed title-race this season, the final match for Leicester will be at home against Bournemouth. This should be a nice way to end the season with a victory for Leicester. It could also have title ramifications on the line, and Bournemouth are an easier opponent to deal with if the match is to decide the title.

Posse Picks

Our staff here at Fosse Posse is looking forward to the upcoming season, and have picked matches they are most anticipating.

Jack Lee - Arsenal, August 20: A nice early chance to test ourselves against the big boys and get some revenge after they did the double on us last year.

Shane Evans - at Manchester United, September 24: Ranieri and Mourinho renew pleasantries, this time at Old Trafford as the new Manchester United boss looks to fare better than the pair’s last EPL meeting, which was followed by the sacking of the Portuguese manager at Chelsea.

Dan Shulman - at Manchester City, May 13: I hate to wish the season away so quickly but on Matchday 37, we could see two title-contenders squaring off in a match that might decide the eventual title winner in Manchester. The last time Leicester played at the Etihad they won 3-1. It will be a fun one to watch indeed.

Jamie Umbach - at West Ham, March 18: A tough string of two back-to-back away games against Arsenal on March 11 and then Leicester's first visit to the Olympic Stadium a week later. It has the potential to be a crucial game with nine games to play, much like our match with them last year when we drew them 2-2 with five left on our way to the title.

Cassandra Dubiel - at Tottenham Hotspur, October 29: After Robert Huth's last-gasp winner to seal the win for the Foxes this past season, we should be in for quite the show at White Hart Lane. With a battle between England frontmen Jamie Vardy and Harry Kane potentially on the cards, it's definitely one you can't miss.

Chase Daniels - at Manchester United, September 24: Manchester United figures to be gunning for the title, it's on the road, it's against Jose Mourinho, and it's part of a month stretch that features trips to Liverpool, Manchester United, and Chelsea very early in the year.