Preview: Leicester City vs Ipswich Town - prediction, team news, lineups

Two of the pre-season favourites for promotion will be looking to continue their charges towards the top of the division when Leicester City and Ipswich Town meet at the King Power Stadium in the Championship.

The Saturday afternoon clash will arrive just days after both teams picked up respectable results against playoff-chasing outfits.

Match preview

Expected to compete at the very top of the Championship during the 2025-26 campaign, former Premier League champions Leicester City have struggled somewhat under the reign of Marti Cifuentes so far.

That being said, the Foxes have collected a commendable tally of four points from their last two second-tier battles, beating East Midlands foes Derby County before securing a point at the base of Bristol City on Wednesday night.

Now facing a tricky assignment against Ipswich at the King Power Stadium, Leicester are currently occupying 13th spot in the Championship table at the 20-game mark, three points behind Hull City in sixth.

For a side tipped for automatic promotion at the beginning of the summer, a record of three wins across nine home matches is simply not good enough for the Foxes, even if they have lost just twice at their East Midlands base.

Despite providing an assist during the draw at Ashton Gate earlier in the week, Leicester attack Abdul Fatawu is arguably failing to showcase his best in recent times, with the winger in the midst of an 11-game goal drought.

After a shock 2-1 defeat at the three-sided base of Oxford United to conclude a tricky November schedule, Ipswich Town have commenced their December duties with a three-game unbeaten run in the Championship.

A 1-1 draw at Blackburn Rovers started the streak on a slightly-uninspiring note, but since then the Tractor Boys have picked up a pair of standout Portman Road wins, easing past the attentions of leaders Coventry City and Stoke City.

Earning a respectable tally of seven points across their opening three fixtures of the festive period, Ipswich have jumped up to fourth spot in the Championship rankings, but still five points behind second-placed Middlesbrough.

Providing the match-winning moment earlier in the week at the expense of Mark Robins's Potters, Jaden Philogene curled home an exceptional strike in the second minute, with the former Aston Villa man representing an elite attacking option at this level.

As mentioned above, Kieran McKenna's side have failed to impress in trips to Oxford and Blackburn in recent times, with Ipswich's most recent away success arriving at the MKM Stadium versus Hull City on November 25.

Leicester City Championship form: W W L L W D

Ipswich Town Championship form: D W L D W W

Team News

Leicester have a number of defensive players in the medical room as Christmas approaches, with Caleb Okoli suffering a knee problem.

There are also a lack of options in full-back positions for the Foxes owing to the knee injury of Danish star Victor Kristiansen.

A regular for Leicester since the arrival of Cifuentes, Boubakary Soumare is expected back in late January from a knee issue.

Typically providing a backup option for Leif Davis, Ipswich man Conor Townsend has picked up a serious knee injury.

Both major parts of the Tractor Boys' promotion-winning campaign of 2023-24, Harry Clarke (knee) and Wes Burns (knee) are sidelined.

Leicester City possible starting lineup:

Stolarczyk; Choudhury, Nelson, Vestergaard, Thomas; James, Skipp, Fatawu, Reid, Mavididi; Ayew

Ipswich Town possible starting lineup:

Walton; Furlong, O'Shea, Kipre, Davis; Matusiwa, Taylor, Egeli, Nunez, Philogene; Azon

We say: Leicester City 1-1 Ipswich Town

Despite home-field advantage, Leicester are arguably the underdogs for the visit of in-form Ipswich this weekend.

After a pair of promising home results, the Tractor Boys need to translate that success into away matches, and we feel that they should be good enough for a point in the East Midlands.

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