Leicester City are once again back in Championship action this weekend as they face promotion rivals Leeds United on Friday night.
The Foxes come into this game still leading the Championship on 78 points, nine clear of second-place Leeds and third-place Ipswich Town.
| Championship Table (As it stands February 21st) | ||||
| Team | P | GD | Pts | |
| 1 | Leicester City | 33 | 43 | 78 |
| 2 | Leeds United | 33 | 35 | 69 |
| 3 | Ipswich Town | 33 | 21 | 69 |
| 4 | Southampton | 33 | 24 | 67 |
| 5 | West Brom | 33 | 17 | 55 |
| 6 | Hull City | 33 | 7 | 54 |
| 7 | Coventry City | 33 | 14 | 51 |
| 8 | Norwich City | 33 | 8 | 51 |
Enzo Maresca’s men have been in control of the league for the majority of the season, but recent results have offered their rivals fresh hope of a title race.
Last time out, Leicester suffered a surprise 2-1 defeat to Middlesbrough, which ended their six-game unbeaten run in all competitions.
Meanwhile, Leeds head into this game in excellent form, as they have won five games in a row in the league, form that has put them in potentially a race for the title.
The first visit between these sides this season ended in a 1-0 away win for the Whites, meaning Leicester will be keen to reverse the favour this time around.
As the game edges closer, here we have looked at the predicted XI for Leicester against Leeds…
Mads Hermansen has been Leicester’s regular goalkeeper all season, and that will not change for such an important clash as this one.
The 23-year-old will be looking to add to his 11 clean sheets he already has in the Championship.
Ricardo Pereira is a player who has been vastly important for Leicester, filling in a number of roles throughout the campaign.
Leeds have some tricky attacking players at their disposal, so the Leicester boss will hope Pereira’s experience can help when it comes to dealing with that.
Wout Faes has not let the constant transfer speculation affect his game, as the defender has been fantastic for Leicester this season.
The 25-year-old has formed a good partnership in the heart of the defence, and Maresca will hope that can help his side with the win on Friday.
Jannik Vestergaard was a forgotten man last season, but under Maresca he has nailed down a starting role, despite the competition in the centre-back area.
The Danish international has been a key part of their impressive defence, and he will be a certain starter for this game.
James Justin has featured a lot for Leicester over the years, and this season is no different, with him starting 20 of the 26 games he’s been available for.
The defender has slotted in well in the left-back role, despite not being his favourite position. Maresca clearly trusts and likes the player, and he will likely start there once again on Friday.
The first player in Leicester’s midfield two will be Harry Winks, a player who has only missed one league game all season, and that was due to suspension.
Winks has been so vital for the Foxes, and his experience and technical ability will be needed in this mouthwatering clash against Leeds.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is arguably the first name on the teamsheet for Leicester every week, with the midfielder failing to start just two league games all season.
The 25-year-old has been excellent in all departments for the club, and he will be heavily relied upon in this contest as Leicester look to come out on top in the midfield.
Issahaku Fatawu is another attacker Leicester signed this season who has been very impressive.
The 19-year-old has been a regular starter for the Foxes and has contributed a lot going forward, with him key in recent wins over Stoke City, Watford, and Sheffield Wednesday.
The winger will likely be looked at by Maresca as someone who can win the game for Leicester and, therefore, will start once again on the right-hand side of the attack.
To many people’s surprise, Dennis Praet has managed to break into the Leicester City manager’s plans, with the Belgian starting the last five games.
Injuries are likely to have played a factor, but Praet will be keen to continue impressing, and he will likely start once again behind the striker for this contest.
Stephy Mavididi has been very impressive for Leicester in his first season at the club. The winger already has 10 goals to his name in the league, with his last one coming in the 3-1 win over Swansea City.
The 25-year-old was brought off at halftime last week against Boro, so he will be eager to perform better this time around, and it is unlikely Maresca is going to leave one of his best attackers out.
