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

The latest edition of the M69 derby will take place at Saturday lunchtime, when Leicester City host Championship rivals Coventry City at the King Power Stadium.

The Foxes shared the spoils at the base of Oxford United last time out, whilst the Sky Blues salvaged a point late on at home against Norwich City.

Match preview

After suffering an instant return to the Championship following promotion to the Premier League under Enzo Maresca in 2023-24, Leicester City are again amongst the favourites for the second-tier title, even if the possibility of a points deduction is looming large over the King Power Stadium.

The Foxes' top-two hopes took a minor hit last Saturday afternoon at the three-sided Kassam Stadium, where the 2015-16 Premier League winners could only manage a point, with Jordan Ayew and right-back Ricardo Pereira finding the Oxford net either side of the half-time whistle.

Following their collection of a point at the home of the U's last time out, Marti Cifuentes's troops are currently occupying fourth spot in the Championship table after five games boasting 10 points, just three points behind unbeaten league leaders Middlesbrough.

Key to the Foxes bridging the gap between themselves and Rob Edwards's Boro ahead of the October international break, Abdul Fatawu has shown no signs of being distracted by top-flight interest over the summer, with the Ghanaian winger providing three goal contributions so far in the second tier.

Rather unsurprisingly, Leicester have represented a formidable force at their King Power base so far this campaign, winning all of their last three matches at the venue, including a 2-0 success over promotion rivals Birmingham City in the East Midlands on August 29.

Following last season's playoff heartbreak, Coventry City appear set to compete in the upper echelons of the Championship once again, with Chelsea and England legend Frank Lampard plotting the first-ever promotion of his managerial career after also failing in the playoffs in charge of Derby County in 2018-19.

Standout hammerings of the aforementioned Rams and Queens Park Rangers in August have raised expectations at the Coventry Building Society Arena, with the Sky Blues aiming to secure a spot in the Premier League for the first time in over two decades.

Alongside Middlesbrough and Bristol City, Coventry are one of three sides in the Championship who are still unbeaten after five rounds of fixtures, but back-to-back draws with Oxford and Norwich recently have prevented Lampard's men from hitting the very summit of the division.

Last weekend's visit of the Canaries was the closest the Sky Blues have got to second-tier defeat this season as Mathias Kvistgaarden's strike put the East Anglians in front for the vast majority of the contest, before American marksman Haji Wright popped up with an added-time equaliser.

A positive omen for those of a Leicester persuasion ahead of Saturday lunchtime, victory in each of the last M69 derbies has gone in the favour of the home side, with the Foxes the most recent away winners in this fixture all the way back in January 2011.

Leicester City Championship form:

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Leicester City form (all competitions):

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Coventry City Championship form:

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Coventry City form (all competitions):

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Team News

Making a poor start to his loan spell from Burnley, Aaron Ramsey picked up a red card during his Leicester debut last weekend and is suspended for the M69 derby.

The Foxes' options in defence continue to be limited as the Championship terms rolls on, with Harry Souttar (Achilles) and Victor Kristiansen (muscle) occupying beds in the medical room.

Coventry are also without a key option for their backline in the form of Joel Latibeaudiere, who sustained a knee problem in August.

Summer 2024 arrival Oliver Dovin is sidelined owing to a serious knee injury, meaning that recent recruit Carl Rushworth should continue as starting goalkeeper.

Chomping at the bit to make the difference in a local derby, Ellis Simms and Brandon Thomas-Asante are pushing for Sky Blues starting berths.

Leicester City possible starting lineup:

Stolarczyk; Pereira, Okoli, Vestergaard, Thomas; Winks, Fatawu, Reid, Mavididi; Ayew

Coventry City possible starting lineup:

Rushworth; Van Ewijk, Thomas, Kitching, Dasilva; Torp, Grimes; Simms, Rudoni, Mason-Clark; Wright