Leicester Tigers v Harlequins: Prediction, Tips and Odds

Poor home form hasn't stopped Leicester Tigers from starting the weekend second in the Premiership and they can improve their Welford Road record against Harlequins on Saturday.

The Tigers have won only three of their six league home matches, but three of their final four regular season fixtures are set to be in front of their fans and they come into this match on the back of a 36-19 win at Bristol.

Meanwhile, Quins have lost their last three, most recently going down 43-29 at home to Sale.

Their momentum is running out and at the business end of the season. While Bath are clear at the top, at the start of the round, just five points separate Leicester in second and Gloucester in sixth.

Harlequins are seventh, six points shy of the play-off places and could be the perfect opponents for the Tigers to take apart.

Leicester Tigers v Harlequins betting tips and predictions

Leicester -13.5 2-way Handicap - 6/4

The closing weeks of the season are all about momentum and Quins' rhythm is heading in the wrong direction.

Three defeats on the spin in all competitions have seen them knocked out of the Champions Cup 62-0 by Leinster and fall to seventh in the Premiership after a 47-28 defeat at Bath and last week's home reverse against Sale.

Their defensive systems are breaking down and that will inspire a Leicester side who have the departing Handre Pollard pulling the strings at fly-half.

He and coach Michael Cheika will both be keen to go out with a bang and this is the first of three home games in their final four regular-season fixtures.

Tigers have only won three out of six at home in the Premiership, but now is the time to start motoring and their away record has helped keep them in top-four contention.

After playing out a 34-34 draw over the festive period, Saturday's return match has the potential for points.

However, Quins' poor results are alarming and on the evidence of their victory at Ashton Gate, Leicester look good to win in style. 

Freddie Steward to score a try - 13/10

The fashion for ball-playing full-backs has cost a strong under the high ball-zstyle 15 like Freddie Steward, with Marcus Smith, who will be at 10 for Quins on Saturday, and Elliot Daly favoured in the role after the Leicester man struggled in England's Six Nations opener against Ireland.

However, Steward has improved his attacking game and has scored seven Premiership tries this season, including in the high-scoring reverse match.

The most recent of those was in the win at Bristol, while he also scored a try in the home defeat to Saracens on March 30.

Steward may get another go with England in the summer and, while another rival in George Furbank is also likely to be available, Steve Borthwick may go with the Tigers ace, whose aerial ability could be crucial against a physical Argentina side.

Helping Leicester push for Twickenham will help his cause and Quins could be the improving 24-year-old's latest victims.

Solomone Kata to score a try - 11/10

Wings Ollie Hassell-Collins and Adam Radwan are also fancied for tries, but they are only 8/13 in the anytime market it is worth looking inside and Solomone Kata stands out.

The centre both scored a try and received a yellow card in December's meeting and was also carded late on in the win at Bristol.

Kata is a former New Zealand RL international and represented Tonga in this code. He provides everything you'd expect - hard running and big hits.

The latter can land him in trouble, but the former makes him tough to stop, as he also showed in dotting down in the Champions Cup defeat at Glasgow earlier this month.

Pollard often puts him through gaps and Kata can add to his try tally.

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Leicester Tigers v Harlequins odds

Leicester Tigers - 1/3
Harlequins - 12/5
Draw - 25/1

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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.