Leicester vs Preston: can Leicester win and climb out of the relegation zone?
Club football is back, and on Friday, April 3, Leicester face Preston in Matchday 40 of the EFL Championship. Kick-off is scheduled for 16:00 CET, and this is a fixture worth backing.
Leicester vs Preston: match facts and head-to-head
- Leicester are winless in their last two matches.
- They have won just once in their previous 14 games.
- At home, Leicester have lost five of their last six matches.
- Preston have managed only one win in their last eight outings.
- Preston are on a six-game winless run away from home.
- Leicester have the second-worst defence in the league, conceding 60 goals.
- Preston have lost a quarter of their matches without scoring, Leicester 12%.
- Only 10% of Leicester’s wins have come with a clean sheet, compared to Preston’s 18%.
- Preston defeated Leicester 2–1 in their most recent head-to-head meeting.
Leicester vs Preston: match preview
Leicester competed in the Premier League last season but were unable to retain their status and dropped down. However, their current situation is far from encouraging. The Foxes sit 22nd in the table, inside the relegation zone. After 39 matches, they have collected 39 points and trail 21st place by just one point. The situation is not yet critical, but it is far from comfortable. The main concern is their form — Leicester have won only once in their last 14 matches, and they must improve if they are to avoid dropping further.
Preston, meanwhile, are also going through a difficult spell and have not been delivering strong results. They have won just once in their last eight matches, losing five in that run. However, unlike Leicester, they are in a more stable position in the standings. Preston occupy 13th place with 52 points after 39 matches. Their cushion above the relegation zone stands at 13 points, meaning the situation is not alarming, but they still need to collect points more consistently to avoid being dragged into trouble.
Probable line-ups
- Leicester: Stolarczyk; Pereira, Okoli, Lascelles, Thomas; Winks, Skipp; Fatawu, James, Mavididi; Ayew
- Preston: Iversen; Storey, Lindsay, Hughes; Valentin, Whiteman, Moran, Vukcevic; Devine, Dobbin, Osmajic
Prediction
This is likely to be a tense and highly significant encounter. Preston’s away form leaves much to be desired, which gives Leicester a real opportunity. For that reason, backing a home win looks like the most appealing option.