NWC VS LEI: Leicester City Team News and predicted Xi(4-3-3); Iheanacho and Dewsbury Hall returns to Foxes squad as Dean Smith makes changes to starting Xi in crucial relegation clash
As for Leicester City, the Foxes’ Premier League status is hanging by a thread as they prepare to travel to the North East for Monday night’s game. Dean Smith’s men know that points are desperately needed if they are to avoid what could potentially be a cataclysmic drop into the Championship.
After Saturday’s results, only a win could keep their fight against relegation going for another week. The visitors currently sit in 19th place in the table, three points from safety, with two games of the season remaining.
The Magpies will also be looking to record a league double over the Foxes, having won 3-0 at the King Power Stadium in the reverse fixture on Boxing Day last year.
In a big boost, Kelechi Iheanacho (groin) and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (ankle) should be fit and raring to go for Monday’s game as Dean Smith’s side attempt to keep their survival hopes alive.
Dean Smith could name an unchanged eleven at Newcastle despite falling to a 3-0 defeat to Liverpool last time out. But he will try to make his team difficult to break down by recalling towering Harry Souttar to match the physicality and height of this Newcastle side.
Caglar Soyuncu remains injured. So Jonny Evans is likely to keep his place in central defence ahead of Wout Faes, with Danish goalkeeper Daniel Iverson also continuing in goal for the visitors. Ricardo Pereira could step further up the pitch and be involved in the final third from the right-back position, with Timothy Castagne again taking the role on the left.
Up ahead in midfield, a trio of Wilfred Ndidi, Boubakary Soumare, and Youri Tielemans is set to start. Meanwhile, Dewsbury-Hall only returned to training on Saturday and may not be fit enough to replace any of the trio in the starting lineup.
Upfront with Jamie Vardy will be the in-demand James Maddison and Harvey Barnes, both of whom will be tasked with providing creativity, and supply to the English striker. Iheanacho was one of City’s standout performers in Smith’s early games. The Nigerian would be keen to impact the game off the bench.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Iversen; Pereira, Evans, Souttar, Castagne; Soumare, Tielemans, Ndidi; Maddison, Barnes, Vardy
