Leicester Tigers vs Gloucester Predictions: Tigers can make most of Cherry and Whites’ weak set-piece

Leicester beat champions Northampton last time out and will expect to grab a fourth Premiership win from five games when they host Gloucester on Sunday. The Tigers produced an old-school, gritty performance to see off the Saints 24-8 but, having relied on their defence last Saturday, they should be able to play with more ambition against the Cherry and Whites. 

They have lost three of their four outings this season, going down 55-31 at home to Bath in their last game, and no team has seen more points scored in their games in the first four rounds, while they have also grabbed try-bonus points in all of those outings. Gloucester won 27-25 at Welford Road last season but with Michael Cheika already adding steel to his Leicester side after taking over in the summer, the hosts look good to rack up the points. 

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Leicester have made just one change from the win over the Saints, with Josh Bassett included on the right wing. 

Prop Kirill Gotovtsev returns for Gloucester, while former Leicester fly-half Charlie Atkinson comes in for the absent Gareth Anscombe. 

Meanwhile, Ioan Jones starts on the left wing, while back-row Albert Tuisue returns to the squad and is joined on the bench by outside back Louis Hillman-Cooper, who is set to make his first appearance of the season. 

Leicester Tigers vs Gloucester Odds

Leicester are 2/13 to avenge last season's home defeat, while Gloucester are 9/2 to repeat their victory in this fixture last year. 

The tie is 25/1, while the Tigers are 20/21 to overcome a -13 handicap. 

Leicester -15 points @ 11/10 

Leicester finished eighth last season, 11 points shy of the play-offs and while they showed signs of potential under Dan McKellar, the team's final placing under the Australian fell well short of what was expected. 

McKellar's departure and the appointment of his compatriot Cheika feels like an upgrade and having already served a ban, he has wasted little time in making an impact on English rugby. 

Gloucester have also made upgrades with the summer signings of Tomos Williams and Gareth Anscombe. The half-backs previously played together for Cardiff and Wales and have already combined for some wonderful moments of running rugby and Atkinson will need to step up and perform.  

The Cherry and Whites always entertain but they have issues up front. George Skivington admitted to being "angry" about his team's malfunctioning line-out against Bath and repeat failures will hurt even more, having spent two years playing for the Tigers in the second row. 

Cheika's lock pairing of Harry Wells and Ollie Chessum can help set the platform for another Tigers' win and with plenty to spare.  

Leicester's last two wins have come by 32 points in their 42-10 win at Newcastle and 16 in their 24-8 victory against Northampton, and they can get the job done in style and concede a 15-point head start.