Preview: Leicester City vs Oxford United - prediction, team news, lineups

Leicester City play host to Oxford United on Saturday looking for the win that they require to get back into contention for the playoffs.

At a time when the Foxes sit in 14th position in the Championship table, Oxford are down in 23nd place and five points adrift of safety.

Match preview

Although Leicester have lost just two of their last five Championship fixtures, Marti Cifuentes remains in a battle to keep his job at the King Power Stadium.

The Foxes have not recorded back-to-back victories in the division since November 22, while they have collected just seven points from as many games in the second tier of English football.

There would have been frustration having left slip a half-time lead to lose 2-1 at leaders Coventry City, but Cifuentes will take the positives from the last-gasp point earned at Wrexham in midweek.

However, the end result is Leicester now sitting eight points adrift of fifth position and five behind sixth-placed Preston North End, who hold the final playoff spot.

One major positive is Leicester having played two more away games than at the King Power Stadium, where they have collected 22 points from 13 fixtures and lost just three times.

© Imago

In sharp contrast, Oxford possess one of the worst away records in the Championship with just nine points coming from 13 such fixtures.

Oxford have not prevailed on their travels since beating Sheffield Wednesday on October 25, their poor form on away territory heavily contributing to the departure of Gary Rowett.

Matt Bloomfield has started his reign with back-to-back home fixtures against Bristol City and Queens Park Rangers, securing goalless draws from each encounter at the Kassam Stadium.

Nevertheless, Oxford are at risk of being cut adrift from safety if they do not get back to winning ways. Just one victory has come from their last 10 fixtures in all competitions, that being under then-caretaker boss Craig Short.

As many as 14 matches have been played without Oxford scoring or conceding in a single fixture.

Leicester City Championship form:

Leicester City form (all competitions):

Oxford United Championship form:

Oxford United form (all competitions):

Team News

© Imago

Leicester midfielder Oliver Skipp will be assessed after an incident that left him feeling 'very dizzy' during the Wrexham game.

Meanwhile, Jordan James was also substituted during that fixture with a hamstring injury. Boubakary Soumare and Hamza Choudhury could deputise if required.

That would also see Ricardo Pereira return at right-back, with the remainder of the side potentially remaining the same unless Jeremy Monga features in the final third.

Oxford centre-back Michal Helik will be assessed after suffering a knock against QPR. Brodie Spencer is seemingly most likely to replace him.

Jamie McDonnell is pushing for a first start in midfield since his move from Nottingham Forest, while South Korea international Jeon Jin-woo may earn a spot on the substitutes' bench after his arrival earlier this week.

Leicester City possible starting lineup:

Stolarczyk; Pereira, Okoli, Vestergaard, Nelson; Choudhury, Soumare, Cordova-Reid; Fatawu, Ayew, Mavididi

Oxford United possible starting lineup:

Cumming; Long, Helik, Brown, Currie; Keersmaecker, Vaulks; Mills, Brannagan, Peart-Harris; Lankshear

We say: Leicester City 2-1 Oxford United

With Oxford having made improvements in defence of late, this could prove to be a testing fixture for Leicester. However, we are still backing the Foxes to deliver on home territory, even if the decisive goal arrives during the closing stages.

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