Following their incredible fightback last weekend, Leicester City will seek three wins from three when they welcome local rivals Nottingham Forest to King Power Stadium on Friday.
Match Preview
Leicester City, managed by Steve Cooper, looks to build on their recent momentum after securing two consecutive victories. The Foxes, who previously endured a rough start to the season with no wins in their first six league matches, are now on a high after a dramatic 3-2 win over Southampton. In that match, they fought back from two goals down, with Jordan Ayew scoring a last-minute winner, marking Leicester’s latest Premier League winner in the last 18 years.
Currently sitting in 14th place, Leicester’s resurgence has been powered by strong performances, including a 1-0 victory over Bournemouth. They have shown resilience, coming back to win after trailing, and now aim to continue this trend against their East Midlands rivals. However, Leicester has struggled to start games strongly, having conceded the first goal in six of their eight matches this season, which they will need to address.
Nottingham Forest, on the other hand, finds themselves in eighth place after a recent victory against Crystal Palace, where Chris Wood scored the winning goal. The Tricky Trees have demonstrated solid defensive capabilities, having conceded fewer goals than all teams except for leaders Liverpool. Their backline has been effective, even when faced with a high volume of shots from opponents. Forest is currently unbeaten in their last six Premier League away games, their longest such run since 1995, which adds to their confidence as they prepare for this clash.
Team News
Leicester City faces some selection dilemmas ahead of the match. Harry Winks is vying for a starting spot alongside Wilfred Ndidi in central midfield, while young winger Abdul Fatawu is also looking to earn a rare starting position after impressing in his limited appearances. Notably, veteran striker Jamie Vardy remains a crucial figure for the Foxes, having scored three league goals this season from only nine shots.
On the injury front, Leicester will be without Patson Daka and Hamza Choudhury. For Nottingham Forest, they welcome back Morgan Gibbs-White and James Ward-Prowse from suspensions, bolstering their attacking options. However, Gibbs-White is dealing with a minor injury and will need to pass a fitness test to feature.
Leicester City possible starting lineup:
Hermansen; Justin, Okoli, Faes, Kristiansen; Ndidi, Winks; Fatawu, Buonanotte, Ayew; Vardy
Nottingham Forest possible starting lineup:
Sels; Aina, Murillo, Milenkovic, Moreno; Yates, Ward-Prowse; Hudson-Odoi, Anderson, Elanga; Wood
Given the historical context of their encounters, where at least four goals have been scored in each of Leicester’s home matches against Nottingham Forest in the Premier League, fans can expect an exciting fixture on Friday.
