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

Interim Southampton boss Tonda Eckert is set to be in the dugout when his side take on visitors Leicester City in the Championship at St Mary's stadium on Tuesday.

The head coach's side are 16th with 21 points but come into the midweek clash having beaten Charlton Athletic 5-1 on Saturday, though their 10th-placed opponents won 2-1 against Stoke City on the same day and have 24 points.

Match preview

Southampton's win against Charlton was well deserved, with the victors taking a 5-0 lead when Finn Azaz scored his second of the game in the 43rd minute, and they managed to create eight big chances while facing just one.

The Saints have now found the back of the net 10 times in their last three outings, as many as they had in their previous 11 matches, and their tally of 43 big chances created in the Championship is the fourth most in the division.

Tonda Eckert's side are eight points above 22nd-placed Sheffield United, who occupy the final of three relegation spots, while only four points separate them from sixth-placed Hull City.

Southampton will hope for a fourth consecutive triumph in the Championship when they take on Leicester, and they will also aim to keep their first clean sheet in seven games.

The hosts have only been beaten in two of their seven home fixtures this season, but they have only emerged as winners twice, with the team winning one, drawing three and losing one of their past five at St Mary's.

Leicester might have had ambitions of winning the Championship given they finished first in the second tier in 2023-24, but they are currently 13 points from first-placed Coventry City.

Boss Marti Cifuentes will be pleased that his team held on against Stoke, but he will be concerned that his players only produced three shots inside the box, with just one attempt generated inside the penalty area in the second half.

The Foxes have dominated recent encounters with the Saints, winning each of their last four clashes against their hosts, scoring at least three goals in three of those wins.

Leicester come into Tuesday's match unbeaten in three games, winning twice while scoring five times and conceding on three occasions.

The visitors' record on the road is mixed, as while they won 2-1 against Norwich City on November 8 in their most recent away fixture, they were defeated in two, held to stalemates in two and triumphed in just one of their prior five away from home.

Southampton Championship form:

Leicester City Championship form:

Team News

Southampton will hope to field most of the XI that started against Stoke, including centre-backs Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Nathan Wood and Jack Stephens.

Midfielder Cameron Bragg has only started once in the league this season, and he could come out of the side in favour of Flynn Downes, who could play alongside Caspar Jander.

Striker Adam Armstrong found the back of the net twice against Charlton, and he can be pencilled into the XI.

Leicester City centre-forward Patson Daka was on the scoresheet against Stoke, and the attacker may be flanked by Stephy Mavididi and Jordan Ayew, while Abdul Fatawu Issahaku is likely to be rested after picking up an injury last time out.

In the backline, there are few doubts regarding the inclusion of Jannik Vestergaard and Wout Faes, and fans should expect to see Harry Winks and Oliver Skipp in the middle of the pitch.

Southampton possible starting lineup:

Bazunu; Harwood-Bellis, Wood, Stephens; Fellows, Downes, Jander, Manning; Azaz, Scienza; Armstrong

Leicester City possible starting lineup:

Begovic; Pereira, Faes, Vestergaard, Thomas; Winks, Skipp; Ayew, James, Mavididi; Daka

We say: Southampton 2-1 Leicester City

Southampton should be confident that they can cause the visitors issues, especially as they have been one of the most creative teams in the division.

Leicester may boast an excellent record against the Saints, but their performances on their travels have considerable room for improvement, and their frailties may be exploited on Tuesday.

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