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

Just days after their second-tier fate was sealed, League One-bound Leicester City host promotion-chasing Millwall at the King Power Stadium on Friday in the Championship.

The Foxes will be playing third-tier football next season after Tuesday's draw with Hull, whereas the Lions picked up a much-needed maximum at Stoke City on the same day.

Match preview

Exactly a decade on from their biggest-ever achievement - holding the Premier League trophy aloft against all the odds during the 2015-16 term - Leicester City suffered one of their darkest moments on Tuesday night.

Second-half strikes from Rennes loanee Jordan James and left-back Luke Thomas could only scrap a point at the King Power against top-six hopefuls Hull, sealing the Foxes' status as a League One club next term.

In the midst of a seven-game winless run (D4 L3), Gary Rowett's side have been laid to rest in the relegation zone of the Championship table, seven points from 21st-placed Blackburn Rovers with only two matches remaining.

Attracting interest from other clubs in England following a standout individual campaign, Wales international James will not be seen slumming it out in the third tier next term, with the midfielder returning to parent club Rennes at the end of the season.

Leicester conclude their woeful 2025-26 home schedule on Friday, when they will look to add to their uninspiring tally of 27 points across 22 King Power battles - only Oxford United (26), Blackburn (21) and Sheffield Wednesday (7) have earned fewer points from home contests.

© Imago / IMAGO / Focus Images

Since a pair of disappointing results against Norwich City and West Bromwich Albion which yielded a single point combined, Millwall have got their top-two chase back on track with consecutive wins over the past week.

The latest of those triumph arrived at the Staffordshire home of Stoke on Tuesday, when usual goalscoring suspects Josh Coburn and Femi Azeez joined Camiel Neghli on the scoresheet in a 3-1 conquering of the Potters.

Losing just one of their past six second-tier battles, Alex Neil's men remain firmly in the race for automatic promotion to the Premier League, however, Ipswich Town sit three points behind in third place despite having played two games fewer.

Nevertheless, the Lions can only focus on themselves as they look to secure a spot at England's top table, with favourable fixtures against relegation duo Leicester and Oxford left to fulfil.

Scoring nine goals and providing seven assists in 33 league appearances, winger Azeez was recently announced as part of the Championship's Team of the Season alongside defensive friend Tristan Crama.

Leicester City Championship form:

Millwall Championship form:

Team News

© Imago

After a calamity of a performance on Tuesday, Leicester goalkeeper Asmir Begovic could drop out of the starting XI for this match.

There are a number of high-profile absentees in defence for the Foxes, including Caleb Okoli (muscle) and Ben Nelson (muscle).

With their gruesome fate already sealed, Leicester could hand a start to teenage sensation Jeremy Monga.

Millwall are short of options in the middle of the park, with both Billy Mitchell (muscle) and Massimo Luongo (knee) sidelined.

There is also notable gaps in the left-back ranks of the Lions, who are without Alfie Doughty (muscle) and Joe Bryan (muscle).

Leicester City possible starting lineup:

Stolarczyk; Pereira, Lascelles, Vestergaard, Thomas; Skipp, James, Fatawu, Mukasa, Monga; Ayew

Millwall possible starting lineup:

Patterson; Crama, Taylor, Cooper, Sturge; Mazou-Sacko, De Norre, Azeez, Neghli, Ballo; Coburn

We say: Leicester City 1-2 Millwall

Dead and buried in the survival race, the Leicester players can expect a sombre atmosphere at the King Power on Friday night.

Millwall must take advantage of the Foxes' situation, with the Lions still in the hunt for a top-two finish.

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