Preview: Leicester City vs. Sheffield Wednesday - prediction, team news, lineups

Leicester City will be bidding to make it five straight wins in all competitions when they continue their Championship campaign at home to Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday night.

The Foxes are top of the Championship table, 11 points ahead of second-placed Southampton, while relegation-threatened Wednesday sit down in 23rd spot, five points from the safety of 21st position.

Match preview

Leicester's relegation from the Premier League last season certainly came as a surprise, but the Foxes are very much on course to secure a return to the England's top flight for the 2024-25 campaign.

Enzo Maresca's side have won 24, drawn three and lost four of their 31 Championship matches this season to collect 75 points, which has left them 11 points clear of second-placed Southampton at the summit and 12 clear of third-placed Leeds United in the battle for promotion.

Leicester have been the best side in the second tier this season, and it would be a huge shock if they did not return to the top flight for 2024-25.

The Foxes have won their last four matches in all competitions, including a 2-1 success at Watford in the league on Saturday, while they are still active in the FA Cup, with Bournemouth their opponents in the fifth round of the competition later this month.

Leicester have the second-best home record in the Championship the season, collecting 37 points from their 15 matches at the King Power Stadium, while Wednesday have struggled on their travels.

Indeed, the Owls have the second-worst away record in the Championship this season, only picking up seven points from their 15 matches on the road.

Wednesday secured promotion back to the Championship via the 2022-23 League One playoffs, and they are bidding to consolidate at this level, but it has been a struggle this term.

Danny Rohl's side boast a record of seven wins, five draws and 19 defeats from their 31 league matches this season to collect 26 points, which has left them down in 23rd position in the table.

The Owls are five points behind 21st-placed Huddersfield Town, but they did manage to record a 2-0 victory over Birmingham City on Saturday afternoon.

Ike Ugbo netted both goals against Birmingham, with the 25-year-old off the mark following his recent arrival on loan from Troyes, and Wednesday will be looking to the forward for more inspiration in this contest.

Leicester City Championship form:

• W
• L
• D
• W
• W
• W

Leicester City form (all competitions):

• L
• D
• W
• W
• W
• W

Sheffield Wednesday Championship form:

• W
• L
• L
• D
• L
• W

Sheffield Wednesday form (all competitions):

• L
• D
• D
• L
• L
• W

Team News

Leicester will again be without the services of Wilfred Ndidi due to a leg injury, while Kelechi Iheanacho is unlikely to be involved, as his Nigeria side will face Ivory Coast in the Africa Cup of Nations final on Sunday night.

Jannik Vestergaard and Marc Albrighton are also still out, but head coach Maresca has no fresh injury concerns, so it would not be a surprise to see the same side that took to the field for the first whistle against Watford continue here.

Patson Daka is set to continue as the centre-forward, with Jamie Vardy likely to be on the bench, while Kasey McAteer and Abdul Fatawu are also set to feature in the final third of the field.

As for Wednesday, Josh Windass, Callum Paterson, John Buckley and Dominic Iorfa will miss the contest due to injury problems.

The visitors have no fresh fitness problems, and it might be a case of same again from the side that started against Birmingham due to the impressiveness of the performance.

Ugbo will again feature in a wide area, fresh from his brace in the team's last match, while Bailey-Tye Cadamarteri should continue in the final third of the field.

Leicester City possible starting lineup:
Hermansen; Nelson, Faes, Justin; Pereira, Winks; Fatawu, Praet, Dewsbury-Hall, McAteer; Daka

Sheffield Wednesday possible starting lineup:
Beadle; Valentin, Bernard, Famewo, Johnson; Ugbo, Poveda, Diaby, Bannan, Gassama; Cadamarteri

We say: Leicester City 2-0 Sheffield Wednesday

Wednesday will be aiming to make it successive wins in the Championship, but this is their toughest away match of the campaign. Leicester are flying towards the league title, and we are fully expecting the Foxes to secure another three points in routine fashion on Tuesday night.

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

ID:536478:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:collect14063:

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!