Preview: Blackburn Rovers vs. Leicester City - prediction, team news, lineups

Leicester City make the trip to Ewood Park to face Blackburn Rovers looking to secure the victory that will strengthen their position at the top of the Championship standings.

At a time when the Foxes are in a three-way scrap for first place, Blackburn have dropped down to 14th position after successive defeats in the second tier.

Match preview

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During the international break, head coach Enzo Maresca would have been curious to see how his Leicester side would react to losing their first game of the season against Hull City.

The Italian can only have been left delighted with the response, the Foxes posting victories against Southampton, Norwich City and Bristol City in the Championship.

As it stands, only Ipswich Town and Preston North End are managing to cope with the pace that is being set by the East Midlands outfit, who have 21 points from just eight games.

There is already an eight-point gap to seventh place, solidifying their bare-minimum target of a playoff spot at this early stage, and Maresca will feel that his side can continue to attack each of their upcoming fixtures.

A much-changed side pushed Liverpool at Anfield in the EFL Cup last time out, Leicester taking the lead before eventually succumbing to a 3-1 reverse on Merseyside.

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Meanwhile, Blackburn enjoyed a much more productive week in that competition, coming through their third-round showdown with Cardiff City by a 5-2 scoreline.

Astonishingly, Jon Dahl Tomasson's side have scored 17 goals in just three EFL Cup ties this season, setting up a trip to Chelsea in the last 16.

However, Tomasson will be far more concerned with Blackburn's form in the Championship, four defeats being posted in six outings to drop into the bottom half of the table.

Although positives will be taken from twice coming from behind to get back level with Ipswich before an eventual 4-3 defeat last weekend, Rovers now sit three points adrift of the top six and need a response ahead of the upcoming October international break.

Team News

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Tomasson rung the changes for the EFL Cup tie with Cardiff and it could lead to several alterations to the Blackburn XI from their last league game.

Sondre Tronstad and Dilan Markanday will both feel that they are in contention for an opportunity in midfield or on the flank, while it remains to be seen whether Tomasson will switch Andrew Moran into a central role after his influential display versus the Bluebirds.

However, Ryan Hedges faces a three-month spell on the sidelines after suffering a hamstring injury against Ipswich.

Having netted a coolly-taken goal against Liverpool, Kasey McAteer will hope to earn a spot in the final third for Leicester.

James Justin is in line to play at left-back courtesy of the knee injury sustained by Callum Doyle, but the rest of the side from the Bristol City fixture should stay the same.

Blackburn Rovers possible starting lineup:

Pears; Brittain, Carter, Hyam, Pickering; Travis, Tronstad; Moran, Szmodics, Sigurdsson; Leonard

Leicester City possible starting lineup:

Hermansen; Pereira, Faes, Vestergaard, Justin; Ndidi, Winks, Dewsbury-Hall; McAteer, Vardy, Mavididi

We say: Blackburn Rovers 1-3 Leicester City

There is an unpredictability about Blackburn that makes them a threat to most teams in the division. However, on this occasion, we can only see Leicester continuing on their way, posting a convincing win in the North West.

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