Leicester City will be aiming to extend their lead at the top of the table when they host Stoke City at the King Power Stadium on Saturday afternoon in the Championship.

The Foxes are showing why they were pre-season favourites to secure an immediate return to the Premier League, whereas Stoke are once again drifting into the middle of the second-tier pack.

Match preview

Leicester made it nine wins from their opening 10 Championship matches with a comfortable 3-0 success over Preston North End at the King Power Stadium on Wednesday night, although the hosts had to wait for their goals.

Midfield maestro Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall commenced the scoring in the East Midlands after 60 minutes, before Kelechi Iheanacho added a second, with the former Luton Town loanee once again making the net ripple in the closing stages to leave the result beyond doubt.

Enzo Maresca's men currently sit first in the Championship standings after collecting 27 points from 30 available, meaning they have a seven-point advantage over Ryan Lowe's Lilywhites, who are in third place, and the Foxes are already 11 points clear of fellow newly-promoted side Southampton.

The summer arrivals of Conor Coady and Harry Winks certainly raised a few eyebrows, but Leicester's ability to also retain talent from their Premier League era has assisted them to start the campaign effectively, with the likes of Kasey McAteer and Jamie Vardy both regularly amongst the goals.

A record of conceding just six goals in their opening 10 matches cannot be bested by any other side in the division, with Danish keeper Mads Hermansen settling into life in the East Midlands well following a recent switch from Brondby.

Stoke have now won just one of their last seven matches in all competitions following a narrow 1-0 defeat against Russell Martin's Saints in Staffordshire on Tuesday night.

The Potters had more shots than their visitors from the South Coast, although Southampton's Stuart Armstrong provided the only telling moment of the meeting in the 41st minute, curling a peach of a free-kick past the outstretched Mark Travers.

Home victories against Rotherham United and Watford at the beginning of the term suggested that Stoke could be fighting for a top-six positions this season, although a recent poor run of form has left fans wondering whether their side will ever return to the Premier League.

With the likes of Saturday's hosts plying their trade in the Championship this season, Alex Neil will realise that his team's only likely opportunity to reach the promised land will be through the playoffs, but the Potters are already six points behind sixth-placed Leeds United.

Team News

With the likes of Dewsbury-Hall and Wilfred Ndidi pulling the strings for Leicester in the middle of the park, it would be easy to ignore the absence of Belgium midfielder Dennis Praet, who has featured just twice in the league this term because of a back issue.

Youngster McAteer is set to be sidelined until after the international break due to a hamstring injury, meaning Ghana international Abdul Issahaku is expected to join Stephy Mavididi and Vardy in a menacing-looking front three.

Tom Cannon was wanted by a host of second-tier outfits on loan before joining the Foxes on a temporary deal, but the former Preston loanee is yet to play for the league leaders due to a back injury.

Stoke are still without an influential member of their engine room as they head towards October's international break, with ex-Chelsea youngster Lewis Baker remaining on the sidelines.

Summer signing Ryan Mmaee was showing glimpses of real quality before picking up a hamstring strain at the start of September, and the Moroccan will not feature for the Potters on Saturday.

Neil's men are missing the Championship know-how provided by Enda Stevens, with the summer arrival from Sheffield United currently restricted to a watching brief because of a calf injury.

Leicester City possible starting lineup:
Hermansen; Pereira, Faes, Coady, Justin; Ndidi, Winks, Dewsbury-Hall; Issahaku, Mavididi, Vardy

Stoke City possible starting lineup:
Travers; Hoever, McNally, Wilmot, Tchamadeu; Laurent, Pearson, Johnson, Haksabanovic; Leris, Lowe

We say: Leicester City 2-0 Stoke City

Leicester are quickly emerging as leading contenders for the Championship title, and they should be very confident of seeing off a wounded Stoke side at the King Power Stadium.

The Potters' campaign will not be decided by what occurs in the East Midlands on Saturday afternoon, but we believe Neil's men will be unable to cope with the league leaders.


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