Leicester vs Millwall: Predicted Foxes starting XI

Injuries are coming thick and fast in what is a long and gruelling Championship season. The absence of the Foxes two major strikers, Kelechi Iheanacho and Jamie Vardy, from the team that romped to a 4-0 win against Plymouth on Saturday was a major surprise. As reported by the Leicester Mercury's Jordan Blackwell, neither will be available to face Millwall, the former with illness and the latter with a knee injury. Callum Doyle remains a long-term absentee and Kasey McAteer and Yunus Akgun also remain out despite, in the latter case, Maresca’s hopes that he would be fit.

In better news, Ricardo Pereira will be back following his one match suspension. Jannik Vestergaard is one yellow card away from another ban, but he is unlikely to be rested on Wednesday. If he is still a card away from a suspension going into the Rotherham game on December 23rd, he may then be left out in order to ensure he is available for the crucial Boxing Day fixture against Ipswich. 

Rotation is a little harder to predict. All we know is that Maresca is agreat believer in using all of his squad and recognises that it is difficult for elite athletes to play two games a week with the required intensity. With the congested fixture list over the Christmas period coming up, some rotation against Millwall is possible, although Maresca’s room for manoeuvre is limited because of the injury list. 

At the back, Faes may be rested (he didn’t play particularly well on Saturday). Conor Coady may come in for him although, more intriguingly, Ben Nelson may be in line to start his first game for the club. Doyle’s continued absence means that James Justin will get another run out at left back. 

In midfield, Wilfred Ndidi may make way for Dennis Praet and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (who had a quiet game on Saturday) may be replaced by Pereira, with Choudhury reprising his inverted full-back role. It may be, though, that Maresca thinks these changes will significantly weaken the team. As a result, either Ndidi or Dewsbury-Hall may start and perhaps both.

With Akgun and McAteer out, the wingers (Stephy Mavididi and Abdul Fatawu) pick themselves, particularly as it’s unlikely that Marc Albrighton, at this late stage in his career will start. The most intriguing decision relates to the striker role. Patson Daka played well on Saturday in his first start under Maresca and may get another run-out. Alternatively, Tom Cannon may come in for his first game for the Foxes. Neither, it should be pointed out, have been overworked this season so it’s a tough call.

Predicted Leicester City XI

Mads Hermansen

Hamza Choudhury

Conor Coady

Jannik Vestergaard

James Justin

HarryWinks

Ricardo Pereira

Dennis Praet

Abdul Fatawu

Patson Daka

Stephy Mavididi