Leicester City are inching closer to a return to the Premier League ahead of their clash against Sheffield Wednesday.
EFL Championship leaders Leicester City will welcome Sheffield Wednesday to the King Power Stadium for their midweek clash this Tuesday night.
The Foxes have a healthy 11-point lead at the top of the table over second-placed Southampton, albeit having played a game more. The Foxes are the favourites to secure automatic promotion to the Premier League and will be in no mood to cede ground anytime soon.
The Owls are second-bottom and are in real threat of relegation. Unless they can pull one out of the hat, the visitors are likely in for a long night at the King Power Stadium. With five points separating them from safety, Sheffield Wednesday cannot afford to let that chasm grow any wider. Having to come out and play rather than sit deep and defend could play right into Leicester’s hands.
The Foxes won their last four matches in all competitions, including a 2-1 success at Watford in the Championship last weekend. They have long left that blip in form behind them and once again look like a side ready to secure promotion back into the full-time.
Pitting a side with the worst away record in the league against one that has the second-best record at home in the Championship appears to be a foregone conclusion on paper. With several players back available, Enzo Maresca can also afford to rotate his squad without having to compromise on quality. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Leicester City
The Foxes will be without the injured trio of Marc Albrighton, Jannik Vestergaard, and Wilfred Ndidi. Kelechi Iheanacho’s Nigeria fell at the final hurdle at the AFCON on Sunday night, and it will be too soon for him to return to action for Enzo Maresca’s men on Tuesday.
Leicester City are likely to deploy more or less the same side with maybe a change or two thrown in. While Patson Daka is in form, he could be rested, giving Jamie Vardy a run-out. With both players in good form, it is a luxury that Maresca can afford to employ.
Leicester City are expected to line up in their trademark 4-2-3-1 formation, with Mads Hermansen in goal. He is expected to be protected by the back four of James Justin, Callum Doyle, Wout Faes, and Ricardo Pereira.
Harry Winks and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall should form the double pivot in central midfield, with Kasey McAteer deployed as the number 10. Abdul Fatawu and Stephy Mavididi should provide the width, with Jamie Vardy upfront. This will help Leicester shift to a 4-3-3 formation if needed. Patson Daka, Yunus Akgun and Thomas Cannon will offer further options off the bench.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Hermansen; Pereira, Doyle, Faes, Justin; Winks, Dewsbury-Hall; Fatawu, McAteer, Mavdidi; Vardy
Sheffield Wednesday
The Owls are in for another long season and now travel to the King Power Stadium with their tail between their legs. Sheffield Wednesday ended a four-game winless streak last weekend with a 2-0 win over Birmingham City. Whether this newfound momentum could help them put together a massive upset remains to be seen.
Danny Rohl’s arrival has helped Sheffield Wednesday raise their standards a little, although it has not yet proven to be enough. But the German is unlikely to play it safe given the acute need for points on the night.
However, he will have to do so without Callum Paterson, Josh Windass, and Dominic Iorfa. John Buckley is also a major doubt and could miss out on the night. The Owls have an otherwise fully fit squad to choose from.
Sheffield Wednesday are likely to pack their midfield in an effort to keep Leicester City from setting the pace of the match. James Beadle should start in goal behind the back four of Pol Valentin, Di’Shon Bernard, Akin Famewo, and Marvin Johnson.
Mohamed Lamine Diaby should form the midfield pivot with the quartet of Ike Ugbo, Ian Poveda, Barry Bannan, and Djeidi Gassama playing further upfield. Bailey Cadamarteri should lead the line. Retaining the same XI that played against Birmingham is a no-brainer.
Probable Lineup (4-5-1): Beadle; Valentin, Bernard, Famewo, Johnson; Ugbo, Poveda, Diaby, Bannan, Gassama; Cadamarteri
Key Stats
- This is Sheffield Wednesday’s first trip to Leicester City in the league since 2014.
- A draw on the night will see both clubs settle for stalemates in both of their league meetings in a season for the first time since 2002/03.
- Leicester City are unbeaten in their last seven league games at the King Power Stadium. This is their longest such run since 2019 (11 matches).
- Sheffield Wednesday have lost 12 games in the league this season, more than any other side in the English second tier.
- Sheffield Wednesday have failed to score in nine of their 15 away games in the league this season.
Player to Watch
Jamie Vardy
The veteran has been in good form this season and has also recovered from his injury. Despite leading the Foxes line for years, he has had a rather poor record against Sheffield Wednesday. Vardy has failed to score against the Owls in his last three starts against them in the league.
Only against Hull City does the Leicester star have a worse record in that category (four matches). With games coming thick and fast Patson Daka could do with a breather. This game should give Vardy a chance to put his record against Sheffield Wednesday to test and add to his tally as the Foxes target Premier League football.
Prediction
Leicester City 2-0 Sheffield Wednesday
While Sheffield Wednesday do have some semblance of hope given their win at the weekend, Leicester City are as difficult an opponent as they can get in the EFL Championship. Enzo Maresca’s men are relentless in their pursuit of securing Premier League football, and a comfortable win appears to be on the cards.