Preview: Leicester City vs. Derby County

Friday night at the King Power Stadium sees two of the Championship's hottest sides clash as Leicester City host Derby County.

League leaders Leicester have won four league games in a row to move four points clear at the summit while Derby's nine-game unbeaten run was ended in their last league game at Wigan Athletic.

Both sides come into this match after FA Cup third-round defeats to Premier League opposition, with Leicester going down at Stoke City and Derby seen off by Chelsea.

Leicester boss Nigel Pearson has no new injury concerns but should be able to welcome back Danny Drinkwater in the centre of midfield.

Derby go into the match seven points adrift of Leicester in fourth place and Steve McClaren could be without Johnny Russell after he missed the defeat to Chelsea.

When these two last met in the third match of the season, Leicester squeezed past Derby thanks to an own goal from Rams keeper Lee Grant.

Recent form

Leicester: WWWWDL

Derby: LWDWWW

Possible starting lineups

Leicester: Schmeichel; De Laet, Moore, Morgan, Konchesky; Knockaert, James, Drinkwater, Dyer; Vardy, Nugent

Derby: Grant; Wisdom, Buxton, Keane, Forsyth; Bryson, Hughes, Eustace; Dawkins, Martin, Ward

Sports Mole says: 1-1