Akgun and Vardy out, 4-3-3: The predicted Leicester City XI to face West Brom | OneFootball

Highlights

Leicester City's fantastic start to the Championship season has been somewhat taken off track in the last month, with just one win since the start of November for the Foxes.

Back-to-back defeats before the international break against Leeds United and Middlesbrough really upset the apple cart at the King Power Stadium, and it allowed Ipswich Town to get level on points with them at the top of the table.

A 2-0 victory over Watford on Saturday got Enzo Maresca's side back on track, but after it looked like they were going to take all three points from lowly Sheffield Wednesday this week, Jeff Hendrick's 93rd-minute equaliser meant that City would drop two points.

They need to get back on track and quickly, but they face a trip to Midlands rivals West Brom on Saturday afternoon in what is going to be a tough encounter against Carlos Corberan's in-form side - let's look to see how Maresca may line up his side at The Hawthorns.

GK: Mads Hermansen

There has been no reason to drop the Dane since his summer arrival from Brondby - he's conceded just 11 goals in his 17 Championship appearances so far.

RB: Ricardo Pereira

The right-back/winger/inverted wing-back has been playing all over the park this season, and he's likely to keep his position at right-back in the starting 11, where he will move into midfield in possession with Harry Winks.

Pereira however needs to not be cautioned to make sure he gets past the cut-off for five bookings and a one-match ban, with the 19-match mark coming against the Baggies.

CB: Jannik Vestergaard

Vestergaard has been a colossus for Leicester this season, but the Dane is walking a tightrope once more.

He is on nine bookings for the season, and one more will trigger a two-match ban for the 31-year-old.

CB: Wout Faes

Faes played on the left-hand side of a back three against Sheffield Wednesday, which allowed Conor Coady to come into the starting 11.

However, it would be expected that the Belgian reverts back to his position on the right-hand side of that trio on Saturday.

Justin stepped out of the starting 11 at Hillsborough in favour of Conor Coady, but he will be expected to return to add some more agility to Maresca's defence.

CDM: Harry Winks

Aside from the one match he was suspended for, Winks has started every single Championship match for Leicester at the heart of their midfield, and you'd expect that to continue.

Ndidi missed four Leicester matches from late October onwards, but he returned to the starting line-up against Watford at the weekend.

He was utilised as a second half substitute though against Wednesday, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him back in the starting 11 at the expense of Cesare Casadei.

CM: Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall

Another player to be rested in midweek was Dewsbury-Hall, who has been one of Leicester's stars this season.

Perhaps with the cut-off in mind though for yellow cards, with the midfielder currently on four, Maresca decided to change things up and put Yunus Akgun in - it's likely that the Englishman will replace the Turkey international though once more.

He may have scored on Wednesday night, but Abdul Fatawu runs the risk of a one-match ban if he's booked against the Baggies as he's also on four yellow cards.

Therefore, McAteer could be recalled after being a substitute against Wednesday, which followed two starts where he was substituted early in the second half - it's about time though that the 22-year-old finds his early season form once more.

Summer signing Mavididi has started all but two of Leicester's Championship matches this season and is a key creative outlet on the left flank - expect him to give Darnell Furlong a tough game on Saturday.

ST: Kelechi Iheanacho

Aside from his brace against Watford at the weekend, Jamie Vardy has been on somewhat of a goalscoring drought, and whilst Iheanacho's recent record isn't much better, he perhaps deserves to come back in.

Rotation is key to keeping Maresca's strike-force happy, and with Tom Cannon now ready to make his debut, both the Nigerian and Vardy will have to be on top form to make sure they stay in the side.