Preview: Relegated Leicester hope to save face as they host promotion chasing Millwall | OneFootball

A disastrous few years for Leicester City were capped off on Tuesday night as the Foxes were relegated to the third tier for the first time since 2007 and only the second time in their history. Taking their six point deduction aside, Leicester would still be in deep trouble due to reckless spending and complete mismanagement off the pitch.

After parting ways with Marti Cifuentes halfway through the season with the thoughts of a play-off push seeming unlikely and them sitting in mid-table, Leicester spent and lost plenty of time in their search for an successor. Andy King was placed as an interim manager in an appointment that lasted way to long, King took charge of three Championship games and lost them all.

He was replaced in February by experienced EFL coach Gary Rowett the former Oxford manager is seen as a specialist at surviving in the second tier. Rowett’s record at the club was slightly more favourable but the slide was well in motion long before he could do much about it in all honesty and he won just one of his 12 games in charge at the King Power.

The seven draws did help somewhat but the Foxes were never able to climb out of the relegation zone once they dropped into it, back to back 1-0 defeats to Swansea and Portsmouth were disastrous and their fate was sealed when Oli McBurnie levelled the tie on Tuesday night, relegating the Foxes and capping off a truly turgid few years for the side.

In the first game since their relegation was confirmed, Leicester face a side having a completely different season to theirs and who don’t know what league they’ll be playing in next season. Millwall sit neck and neck with Ipswich in the fight for second place, both teams are on 79 points heading into the Lions final two games of the Championship season, although Ipswich have a game in hand, Millwall will believe they are in a very good position to make their first appearance in the Premier League since it’s inception in 1992.

The Lions beat Stoke City 3-1 in midweek which has given them a huge boost, just one defeat in 11 shows the strength they have in terms of consistency. While their goal difference is significantly worse than that of Ipswich’s, Alex Neil’s side have shown that killer instinct a lot more frequently than the Tractor Boys this season.

Another point to benefit Millwall as they travel to Leicester is there remarkable away form, the Lions currently sit top of the Championship away form table having won 50% of their away games this season and losing just four times on their travels. Compared to leicester’s home form which is the fourth worst in the entire league, it doesn’t read well for the already down Foxes.

The Foxes have had to deal with their fair share of injuries in what has been a abysmal season all round, those woes haven’t subsided just yet with the side still missing defender Caleb Okoli who has a muscle issue. The centre-half has played a huge amount for the side and has been missed at the back. Elsewhere, fellow defender Ben Nelson is also out with a muscle issue which leaves Rowett’s side very weak at the back in terms of numbers.

As for Millwall, midfielders Billy Mitchell and Massimo Luongo will both be missing from the squad with a muscle and knee issue respectively which has caused Alex Neil some headaches in terms of squad selection but the side seemed to have worked around it. Elsewhere, the side will be missing full-back Alfie Doughty who has been crucial to the side since he signed in the summer from relegated Luton Town.

The game will take place tomorrow night, April 24th, and kick-off is scheduled for 8pm (UK time)