Preview: Leicester City vs Bristol City - prediction, team news, lineups

Relegation-threatened Leicester City welcome inconsistent Bristol City to the King Power Stadium on Tuesday night, looking to move out of the Championship relegation zone. 

The Foxes earned a hard-fought point away to Ipswich Town at the weekend but failed to end their winless run, while the Robins fell to a 2-0 defeat at home to Coventry City and now sit seven points adrift of the playoff places. 

Match preview

Following last season’s relegation from the Premier League, few would have predicted that Leicester City would be facing the threat of a second successive drop, this time to League One, fewer than 12 months later.

Yet that is the precarious situation the Foxes find themselves in after a dismal run under Marti Cifuentes forced the club to turn to Gary Rowett, hoping the former player and manager can steer the side to Championship safety.

Since his return, Rowett has overseen four matches, failing to claim a win but securing three draws, results that at least provide a platform for optimism.

The weekend's draw will be seen as a huge positive, giving their opponents could have gone second with a win, but it does now mean they have gone 10 games without a victory. 

Leicester enter Tuesday’s fixture in the bottom three, but just a single point separates them from safety, meaning a strong run of results over the remaining games could yet see them avoid a second relegation in as many seasons.

© Imago

As for Bristol City, their inconsistent form over the last few months has seen their position in the top six get away from them and make a finish in the playoff places become increasingly harder. 

Although heading into Saturday's game as second favourites, Gerhard Struber will know his Robins side cannot afford many more performances like the one they produced. 

A 2-0 defeat to Championship leaders Coventry City on Saturday, compounded by a red card for Adam Randell, was their fourth home game without a win and 14th league loss of the season.

The league reverse to Frank Lampard's side followed a dismal FA Cup defeat to League One strugglers Port Vale and highlighted further how much they have struggled for consistency since the turn of the New Year. 

With that said, should the Robins return to winning ways on Tuesday night then they could enter next weekend just four points outside the top six but will need to close out the season with a strong run of form if they want to be a part of the playoffs for the second season running. 

The Foxes and Robins clash for the second time this season after Bristol City came from 2-0 behind to rescue a point back in December. 

Leicester City Championship form:

Leicester City form (all competitions):

Bristol City Championship form:

Bristol City form (all competitions):

Team News

© Imago

Leicester City came away from the Saturday draw with no further injuries but may look to change things up in order to find some late season form. 

Jordan James, who has recently returned from injury, could be one option Rowett turns to on Tuesday night while Bobby De Cordova-Reid should start against his former club. 

Patson Daka's opening goal, his fourth of the season, should mean he remains in the starting XI. 

As for Struber's Bristol City, they have struggled at the back ever since key defenders Rob Dickie and Rob Atkinson have picked up injuries, they will remain out for a number of weeks. 

As well as the centre-back duo, Joe Williams, Luke McNally and Adam Murphy will be out with various injuries while Mark Sykes has a hamstring issue that will keep him out. 

As mentioned, a red card shown to Randell will mean he misses this one through suspension. 

Leicester City possible starting lineup:

Stolarczyk; Pereira, Okoli, Nelson, Thomas; Winks, James; Fatawu, De Cordova-Reid, Mavididi; Daka

Bristol City possible starting lineup:

Vitek; Tanner, Eile, N. Borges; Earthy; Knight, Bird, Pring; Twine, Riis, Armstrong 

We say: Leicester City 1-2 Bristol City

Both sides have been in poor form recently but have contrasting ambitions for how they wish to end their seasons. With that in mind, we expect the playoff outsiders to scrape past the relegation candidates. 

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.