Preview: Leicester City vs. Randers - prediction, team news, lineups

Leicester City head into Thursday's Europa Conference League tie with Randers looking to overcome their inconsistent form on the domestic front in England.

The Foxes drop into this competition after finishing in third place in their Europa League group, while Randers have broken new ground on the continent by reaching the knockout rounds in Europe for the first time.

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Match preview

Having been eliminated from the Europa League, Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers suggested that he had no idea how the Europa Conference League worked, but the Northern Irishman may need to win this competition to secure European football for next season.

Despite speculation regarding his future, Rodgers will be focused on improving a run of form which has seen Leicester win just five times in 19 matches in all competitions.

Just two clean sheets have been posted during that period, none of which have come in 2022, and Rodgers is aware that he faces the biggest crisis of his Foxes reign.

As it stands, Leicester sit in 11th position in the Premier League, 10 points adrift of seventh, and that may encourage Rodgers to take this competition seriously for the rest of the campaign.

He may also use it to build confidence in a backline which has conceded 12 goals in five matches, although positives should be taken from Leicester scoring in all but one of their last 15 games in all competitions.

As far as Randers are concerned, they will be relishing the trip to the King Power Stadium, another high-profile visit to a big club having pushed Galatasaray close in the Europa League playoffs earlier in the season.

Thomas Thomasberg's team responded by holding their nerve in the Europa Conference League group stages, posting four successive draws before claiming a crucial win over CFR Cluj.

As they suffered a late defeat at AZ, Hestene were reliant on Cluj edging out Jablonec, and it has earned the Danish outfit their first chance to experience the latter stages of a European competition.

With the Danish Superliga yet to resume this year, Randers have been left to play seven friendlies, but they sit in fifth position in the table, seven points adrift of the leaders.

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Team News

James Justin, who suffered a hamstring injury at the weekend, and Jamie Vardy are among the players who are missing for Leicester.

George Thomas should return at left-back, while the likes of Jannik Vestergaard, Nampalys Mendy, Ademola Lookman and Kelechi Iheanacho are also in line for opportunities.

Rodgers will give consideration to handing an outing to second-choice goalkeeper Danny Ward, with Kasper Schmeichel potentially featuring in the second leg due to his Danish roots.

Given their two-month break from action, it is difficult to predict the Randers XI, particularly when they may switch formation due to the quality of their opponents.

However, defender Erik Marxen has left for Nordsjaelland, which may lead to a debut for Hugo Andersson in the middle of the backline.

Stephen Odey, the club's top goalscorer, is in contention to return in the final third after injury.

Leicester City possible starting lineup:

Ward; Albrighton, Vestergaard, Soyuncu, Thomas; Tielemans, Mendy, Dewsbury-Hall; Maddison, Iheanacho, Lookman

Randers possible starting lineup:

Carlgren; Kallesoe, Piesinger, Andersson, Kopplin; Kehinde, Johnsen, Lauenborg, Tibbling; Odey, Kamara

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We say: Leicester City 3-1 Randers

Despite the difference in profiles, we cannot back Leicester to keep a clean sheet right now. However, they should have far too much quality in the final third, leading us to predict a much-needed comfortable win for the Premier League outfit.