Leicester v Leeds: match preview and predictions

Predicted starting XI

Speaking of which, let’s try to predict the starting XI. So, with Ricardo Pereira, Ryan Bertrand, Wilfred Ndidi, Maddison, and likely Jonny Evans excluded, the team which faced Crystal Palace may simply be copy and pasted minus the English attacking midfielder.

I should expect: Ward, James Justin, Daniel Amartey, Wout Faes, Timothy Castagne, Boubakary Soumare, Youri Tielemans, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Ayoze Perez/Dennis Praet, Harvey Barnes, and Patson Daka. A typical 4-3-3 with Soumare playing a deeper role, and ‘Ayo’ probably taking the RW position.

I really hope this is not the team which is put out. Daniel Iversen and Caglar Soyuncu would make better choices to deal with the physically intense nature of Leeds. We need a goalkeeper without a shattered confidence, and a defender of significantly greater quality than Amartey.

Predicted result

I believe we are in for either a tough one, or a repeat of the Nottingham Forest fixture. We will either lose 1-2 or win 2-0. It is difficult to predict exactly which will occur, but I would err on the side of losing against a highly creative team.

Although, it is worth noting that Leeds are actually beneath the King Power club on form – thanks to our solitary win  – so it could be conceivable that a desperate Leicester can find a win out of this fixture. The only requisite is composure and progression retention: keep the passing neat and keep it in their half.