Following an anti-climactic m69 derby, Leicester City return to action with a trip to the Hawthorns. Against their sky blue rivals, the Foxes produced one of their best performances yet, as they controlled the game and created plenty of chances. Although the winner never came, it was an incredibly positive performance, which bodes well for their upcoming fixtures. Therefore, here is the Leicester Predicted lineup as they take on Ryan Mason’s Baggies.
Leicester Predicted Lineup vs West Brom for EFL Championship Tie
How Leicester City Have Lined Up Recently
At the King Power, Marti Cifuentes once again made tweaks to his system, which came as no surprise due to Aaron Ramsey’s early red card at Oxford. As expected, Jakub Stolarczyk remained in between the sticks, as he managed his third clean sheet in his last four appearances. Despite starting every league fixture so far, Caleb Okoli was one of the major changes as Wout Faes partnered Jannik Vestergaard for the first time this season. Similarly, Hamza Choudhury also made way for Ricardo Pereira, whilst Luke Thomas made his first start since signing a new deal with his boyhood club.
Read More: How Marti Cifuentes Has Developed A Clear Identity After Just Three Friendlies
After a scintillating second-half display against Oxford, it was Harry Winks who got the nod over Oliver Skipp to join Boubakary Soumaré in the double pivot. Due to the red mist descending for Ramsey, fellow deadline day recruit Jordan James made his first start in Royal Blue in a new-look number 10 role.
In contrast to the changes, wingers Abdul Fatawu and Stephy Mavididi remained in the side, which left 16-year-old Jeremy Monga on the bench. Meanwhile, City’s number 9 Jordan Ayew continued his run of games, as fellow options Patson Daka and Julian Carranza made their way onto the pitch in the last 20 minutes.
Leicester City’s Recent Form And Tactics
Coming into the derby day clash, it was always going to be tough to pick a winner. Frank Lampard’s side have made a strong start to the campaign, as suggested by their unbeaten start. Meanwhile, whilst the Foxes haven’t always been at their best, the quality on show is undeniable.
Although the points were eventually shared, it’s safe to say that Cifuentes’ side can certainly take many positives away. They were in control for much of the game, primarily due to their proficiency when in possession. With Winks, Faes, and Pereira all in the side, it was clear Cifuentes has pivoted to a possession-focused approach, as all three players excelled under Enzo Maresca two years ago. Subsequently, City managed to have 58% possession, with 17 shots, and three big chances.
Read More: Marti Cifuentes: What Former QPR Manager Brings to Leicester City
The addition of James in the left half space can’t go unnoticed either, as the Welshman played a major part in bringing Mavididi into the game. The winger had five shots in his 63 minutes of playtime, which undoubtedly makes it his most impactful game yet. Although his involvement didn’t result in a goal, it is positive to see him having more chances.
With a trip to the Hawthorns on the horizon, the Foxes will certainly be looking to emulate their possession play. In addition to this, even when without the ball, they still looked comfortable, which is further exemplified by the backline securing a third clean sheet of the season.
Leicester City Injuries to Consider
As revealed by the Spaniard, there are no fresh injury concerns. Another positive from the past weeks has been Bobby Decordova Reid and Victor Kristiansen returning to the side, after missing out on much of pre-season. Furthermore, Louis Page should also be in contention after returning from injury and featuring for the club’s U21s side on Tuesday.
