MX23RW : Wednesday, January 22 00:21:52| >> :120:48631:48631:
[monks data]
Leicester logo
Championship
Feb 22, 2014 at 3pm UK
 
Ipswich logo

3-0

Vardy (19'), Nugent (31'), Wood (88')
FT(HT: 2-0)

Preview: Leicester City vs. Ipswich Town

Sports Mole previews Saturday's Championship encounter between leaders Leicester and playoff-chasing Ipswich.

Championship leaders Leicester City will look to increase their stranglehold on their position at the top of the table when they host Ipswich Town at the King Power Stadium on Saturday.

Leicester have been in superb form recently and are unbeaten in their last 12 league matches to open up an eight-point gap over second-placed Burnley.

Their form has stuttered ever so slightly in recent weeks, however, with their nine-match winning streak coming to an end with back-to-back 2-2 draws.

However, their tally of 30 points from the last 36 on offer is remarkable by any standards, and they now look all but certain to be playing their football in the Premier League next season.

Nigel Pearson will be keen to officially secure promotion and then the title as soon as possible, and a home match against Ipswich represents a good chance to get back to winning ways.

Leicester have not lost in their last eight home matches against the Tractor Boys and have tasted defeat just once at the KP Stadium all season.

A 12th win in their 16th home game could see them extend their lead at the top to a whopping 11 points depending on results elsewhere.

Pearson will be without Paul Konchesky, who is suspended for the match, while Sean St Ledger remains sidelined for the Foxes.

Ipswich will be no pushovers for the league leaders, however, as they still hope to launch a playoff charge in the closing stages of the season.

Mick McCarthy's side are currently five points off sixth-placed Reading but have rediscovered their form and are unbeaten in their last five matches.

However, three of those games have ended all square and, looking further back into the form guide, Ipswich have won just twice in their last 11 games in all competitions.

They were held to a goalless draw by struggling Blackpool last weekend and, while an away trip to Leicester may not be accompanied by a great deal of optimism, the Tractor Boys can ill afford too many more slip-ups like that.

McCarthy's side do boast an impressive away record this season having only been beaten once in their last 11 league matches on the road.

Again, though, many of those matches have ended in draws, and 12 for the season - coupled with eight defeats - represents a lot of dropped points for a side chasing the playoffs.

Ipswich have been rocked by the news that top scorer David McGoldrick could miss the rest of the season through injury, and McCarthy will need to find someone to replace his goals if they are to reach the playoffs.

Paul Taylor could be the man to get the nod, while Anthony Wordsworth, Luke Hyam and Dean Gerken are all injury doubts for the game.

Recent form

Leicester: WWWWDD

Ipswich: LWDWDD

Possible starting lineups

Leicester: Schmeichel; De Laet, Wasilewski, Morgan, Moore; Knockaert, James, Drinkwater, Dyer; Vardy, Nugent

Ipswich: Loach; Chambers, Berra, Smith, Cresswell; Hunt, Tabb, Skuse, Anderson; Murphy, Taylor

Sports Mole says: 2-0


ID:139713: cacheID:139713:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:5626:
Written by
Barney Corkhill
No Data Analysis info

Previews by email

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


Restore Data
Share this article now:
Sheffield United manager Danny Wilson looks on during a League One match at Brammall Lane on February 1, 2013
Read Next:
Preview: Barnsley vs. Ipswich
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool21155150203050
2Arsenal22128243212244
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest22135433221144
4Chelsea22117444271740
5Manchester CityMan City22115644291538
6Newcastle UnitedNewcastle22115638261238
7Bournemouth22107536261037
8Aston Villa2210663334-136
9Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2281043530534
10Fulham228953430433
11Brentford2284104039128
12Crystal Palace226972528-327
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd2275102732-526
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham2275102743-1626
15Tottenham HotspurSpurs22731245351024
16Everton214891828-1020
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves2244143251-1916
18Ipswich TownIpswich2237122043-2316
19Leicester CityLeicester2235142348-2514
20Southampton2213181550-356


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!