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• New England Revolution v D.C. United: Lesesne hoping to keep high level on 'hard' road trip

  Troy Lesesne was full of praise for D.C. United's comeback win over Nashville SC but has urged the team to maintain their high level when they travel to New England Revolution.

  D.C. came from behind, scoring two late goals to snatch a 4-3 victory over Nashville in midweek, moving them to 11th in the Eastern Conference.

  They are one of three teams on 37 points and still have a chance of making the playoffs with two games remaining.

  Lesesne is now keen to build on their latest run of form in what he describes as a tough place to visit.

  "It's another situation where we need three points," Lesesne said. "We can go do it, but we just need to be in this mindset.

  "New England are a very good team, I understand where they are in the table, but it's really hard to get points there and we need to be at our best again.

  "I've been trying to communicate a clear message the entire season about the mentality, and how the players display themselves. That was on full display [against Nashville]."

  Meanwhile, New England's slim chances of making the playoffs are still alive, despite suffering a 2-1 defeat to Houston Dynamo last time out.

  They sit 14th in the table on 31 points with three games left, but head coach Caleb Porter acknowledged they need to improve the small details if they want to make it to the postseason.

  "For me, where we fell short is the details [against Houston]," Porter said. "And that's the area of our team that we have to continue to work on.

  "We have to finish our chances. We have to be smarter in those details of our decision-making. And the guys know that. So, for me, that's a real learning lesson."

  PLAYERS TO WATCH

  New England Revolution – Carles Gil

  Carles Gil scored for the first time since early September from the penalty spot against Houston, ending a run of four games without a goal.

  He is the team's second top-scorer on seven goals, while he has also registered the most assists (five), and the Revs will be hoping he can provide the spark in their search for a vital three points.

  D.C. United – Gabriel Pirani

  Most of the headlines for D.C. will often go to Christian Benteke, who has a league-high 22 goals so far. However, Gabriel Pirani stepped up when it counted on Wednesday.

  He sits second on their goalscoring charts with six for the season, getting two of those in stoppage time in midweek, to flip the game on its head and claim a superb victory.

  MATCH PREDICTION: NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION WIN

  New England were on a three-match unbeaten streak against D.C. but lost their most recent meeting with them this season, going down 3-1 in February. However, D.C. have lost their last four trips to Gillette Stadium.

  The Revs have won just one of their last seven MLS matches (D2 L4), though that victory came in their last home game as they edged past Nashville 1-0.

  Meanwhile, D.C. have lost just one of their last six outings (W3 D2) – that defeat did come on the road, but they bounced back, coming from behind to get their win over Nashville in midweek.

  OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

  New England Revolution – 45.5%

  Draw – 26.8%

  D.C. United – 27.6%

• Leicester's heads are not down as wait for a win goes on, says Cooper

  Steve Cooper insists the mood at Leicester City is not downbeat as the Foxes' wait for a first Premier League win rolls into matchday seven.

  Leicester fought back from 2-0 down away at Arsenal last time out, only for two goals in second-half stoppage time from the Gunners to break their resolve.

  Attention now turns to a home game against Bournemouth, who beat Leicester's fellow promoted side Southampton 3-1 on Monday.

  And though Leicester sit in 17th without a win to their name, Cooper is not down in the doldrums.

  As reported by Leicestershire Live, he said: "We're not heads down and we're not of the mindset that we'll be okay either.

  "Both of those mindsets are dangerous. We're in the middle of that, where we're frustrated that we haven’t been able to get more out of the games, but there's a constant determination to put things right.

  "We have to make sure the mindset is right with the players. I really believe that will happen, convinced of it, that we will get what we want from this season."

  One bright spark this season for Leicester came off the pitch, as they won an appeal that means they cannot be penalised by the Premier League for an alleged breach of the competition's financial rules in the 2022-23 season.

  This means Leicester are extremely unlikely to be hit with a points deduction for that supposed breach.

  "The landscape has definitely changed on that front," said Cooper.

  "Even when that was looming over us, it wasn't interfering with our daily work either.

  "What we want to achieve, as we decided on, it's still very much achievable. When we achieve it, we will look back and say it was a rocky road."

  PLAYERS TO WATCH

  Leicester City - Wilfred Ndidi

  Bukayo Saka (five) is the only Premier League player with more assists than Ndidi (four) this season.

  Ndidi's four assists is just one fewer than he managed in 32 Championship appearances last term, while it is already his joint-best in a single Premier League campaign (also four in 2020-21).

  Bournemouth - Antoine Semenyo

  Only Erling Haaland (31) has had more shots than Semenyo (28) in the Premier League this season, with Semenyo the only Bournemouth player to score more than once so far (three).

  The Ghana international has also completed the most dribbles (eight) and had the most touches in the opposition box (34) of any Cherries player in the competition this term.

  MATCH PREDICTION: BOURNEMOUTH WIN

  Cooper has never beaten Bournemouth in five attempts in all competitions (D2 L3). It is the joint-most he has ever faced an opponent as a manager without ever winning (also five vs Manchester United).

  Leicester have faced more shots than any other side in the Premier League this season (114), with their 34 faced against Arsenal last time out their most on record (since 2003-04) in a single match in the competition.

  However, since winning four consecutive away league games in November/December last season, Bournemouth have won just three of their last 13 on the road (D3 L7), with two of those wins coming against sides in the relegation zone.

  That being said, Bournemouth have won each of their last three Premier League games against Leicester, their joint-longest winning run against the Foxes in their league history (also three between 1987 and 1989).

  Leicester have won just two of their 12 Premier League games against Bournemouth (D5 L5), with both of those victories coming at the King Power Stadium in 2019 (2-0 in March, 3-1 in August).

  OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

  Leicester City - 31.5%

  Bournemouth - 43.3%

  Draw - 25.1%

• Fit-again Mbappe not selected by France

  Kylian Mbappe has been left out of France's squad for their Nations League games against Israel and Belgium.

  Mbappe, who sustained a muscular injury while in action for Real Madrid last month, returned to action for Los Blancos on Wednesday.

  The 25-year-old was a substitute but could not help Madrid avoid falling to a 1-0 defeat at Lille in the Champions League.

  However, Didier Deschamps has made the call to rest Mbappe for this month's fixtures.

  "He has a problem that is not serious. I'm not here to take risks, which is why Kylian isn't on the list," Deschamps told reporters.

  Bayern Munich's Michael Olise, meanwhile, was called up, while Chelsea's Christopher Nkunku has also been selected for the first time since June 2023.

  Lucas Digne, who was called up as an injury replacement for the last squad, has kept his place after some impressive displays for Aston Villa.

  Mbappe's Madrid team-mate Eduardo Camavinga has also been called up after recovering from a knee injury.

  France lost to Italy in their Nations League opener, but bounced back by beating Belgium 2-0.

  France squad in full:

  Alphonse Areola (West Ham), Mike Maignan (Milan), Brice Samba (Lens); Jonathan Clauss (Nice), Lucas Digne (Aston Villa), Wesley Fofana (Chelsea), Theo Hernandez (Milan), Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool), Jules Kounde (Barcelona), William Saliba (Arsenal), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich); Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid), Youssouf Fofana (Milan), Matteo Guendouzi (Lazio), Manu Kone (Roma), Aurelien Tchouameni (Real Madrid), Warren Zaire-Emery (PSG); Bradley Barcola (PSG), Ousmane Dembele (PSG), Randal Kolo Muani (PSG), Christopher Nkunku (Chelsea), Michael Olise (Bayern Munich), Marcus Thuram (Inter).