Leicester Tigers are red-hot favourites to beat Sale Sharks

Rarely in recent memory will Leicester have gone up to Sale Sharks as such overwhelming favourites.

While the northerners have never got close to repeating the feat that saw them win the title in 2006, Tigers' yearly trek to a dilapidated and usually wet Edgeley Park has traditionally been the archetypal banana skin.

When Sale finally left those surroundings last summer, they were not the only club delighted by their move to the Salford City Stadium.

The Sharks' fresh new start off the pitch has not, however, been matched on the pitch.

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They began the season with a host of changes, new players and a new director of rugby in Bryan Redpath.

Just four games in, there was another dramatic change as forwards coach Steve Scott lost his job just 24 hours after a 29-19 home drubbing by newly-promoted London Welsh.

Another defeat by Bath last weekend has left them firmly at the bottom of the table but Tigers lock Ed Slater – who returned to action last Saturday after six months out with a knee injury – believes that makes them a dangerous beast tonight.

"There is going to be a reaction from them sooner rather than later," said Slater.

"They have not played as well as they will have wanted to in the last few games and they will start playing as a team soon.

"Because of that, it is important that we push them back in their own half, play our game and score some tries.

"Our scrum and set-piece was really good against Exeter and that is an area where we can put pressure on them.

"I can't speak from experience about a side with loads of player changes and coaching changes because we are usually quite well settled here. But it cannot be comfortable seeing people come in and then leave.

"You may go to a new club and try and blend in to the way that they want to play.

"But there are 10 or 12 of you doing that, you could almost be playing on your own agenda until you settle as a squad. It must be difficult."

Tigers director of rugby Richard Cockerill agrees that the home side could be low on confidence but is backing them to get out of a hole.

"They have a good squad but they haven't got it right at this point," he said. "Clearly they are low on confidence but you just need that one win to kick start your season as we did last year.

"They have some issues but they will be desperate for a win and so we will treat them with a lot of respect.

"At some point, their bad run of form will end. We just have to hope that it is not this week."