A comprehensive look ahead to our first Sky Bet Championship opponents of 2024
- Leicester City vs Huddersfield Town
- Monday 1 January 2024; 3pm kick-off
- First visit to King Power Stadium since 2018
Much like Town, it’s been a busy period for the Foxes over Christmas and New Year that was kicked off by a 3-0 home win against Rotherham United on Saturday 23 December.
Since then, it’s been two long trip on the road for Leicester City, with a 1-1 draw in a top of the table clash with Ipswich Town followed up by a journey to South Wales to face Cardiff City on Friday 29 December 2023.
Their first home fixture of 2024, it’s a first trip to the King Power Stadium since 2018 in the Premier League for Town, with the Terriers looking to put right a record that has seen them win just once in 10 outings against the Foxes.
THE OPPOSITION
It was an eventful nine year spell in the Premier League for Leicester City after promotion at the end of the 2012/13 campaign, with the Midlands sidehaving a league title and FA Cup to show for themselves now back in the Sky Bet Championship.
With a squad that reflects a side who had played in the Champions League more recently than the Championship until the summer, Leicester find themselves top of the division as they look to return to the top flight at the first time of asking.
Having visited the John Smith’s Stadium right at the start of the campaign, they edged the Terriers by one goal to nil on the day thanks to a finish inside the final 20 minutes, with Town more than matching them for much of the contest.
THIER MANAGER
Having joined in the summer from Manchester City where he was part of Pep Guardiola’s backroom staff, Italian coach Enzo Maresca has enjoyed his time with Leicester City to date.
Still just 43-years-old, the coach has been in work since hanging up his playing boots in 2017, joining Ascoli in Italy as an assistant after finishing his career with Hellas Verona having been a midfielder for over a decade professionally.
Since that first role with Ascoli, Maresca has since spent time with Sevilla, West Ham United, Manchester City’s Elite Development Squad, Parma and finally Manchester City again before being installed as Manager of Leicester City in June 2023.
LAST TIME OUT
Leicester City continued thier good form at the top of the Sky Bet Championship with a 2-0 away win at Cardiff City in their final game of 2023, with Dewsbury-Hall and James Justin netting in South Wales.
With a goal in each half, the Foxes made the most of their three shots on target, controlling the ball with 64% possession and limiting the chances the home side could have as a result.
Extending their run to nine games without defeat, Leicester have won seven and drawn two of their last nine games, with back-to-back losses at the start of November the last time they were on the wrong end of a result.
Previous Starting XI: Hermansen; Vestergaard, Faes, Justin; Fatawu, Ndidi, Winks, Mavididi; Dewsbury-Hall, Choudhury; Daka
FORMATION
Maresca has deviated just twice from his settled 4-3-3 formation this season in the Sky Bet Championship, operating a 3-4-3 in a home loss against Hull City and 4-2-3-1 in a recent home win against Rotherham United.
With a host of attacking talent to call on, especially in wide areas, that is the priority for Leicester, with the combination of men in the middle able to keep possession and release attackers at will.
Unsurprisingly for a coach who has worked closely with Guardiola, the role Maresca has for his full-backs is also dynamic, with their ability to come inside and push forward essentially providing Leicester extra men in midfield when required.
WHO TO WATCH
Ricardo Pereira
Signed from Porto, 30-year-old Portuguese international defender Pereira has been with Leicester since 2018, having been signed for a reported €25 million fee. Wearing the captain’s armband this season on 13 occasions, he has operated from his familiar right-back berth on all but three occasions where he’s filled in on the opposite flank. Confident on the ball and bringing it forward, Pereira was one of the Premier League’s most eye-catching attacking full-backs before a run of injuries prior to Leicester’s recent relegation.
Harry Winks
A summer signing from Tottenham Hotspur for around £10 million, midfielder Winks has international experience with England and Champions League exposure with Spurs to fall back on. Having come through the North London side’s academy, he was part of their first team until 2022, when he made a loan move to Italy with Sampdoria for a season after struggling with injury. Now fully fit, Winks has been indispensable for Leicester, helping to marshal midfield, move the ball and even chip in with a couple of goals himself.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall
Eight goals and nine assists in 25 games in the Sky Bet Championship has made Dewsbury-Hall one of the divisions most clinical midfielders. An ever-present with only two appearances coming from the bench, his relationship with Winks in the middle has been crucial, as is his licence to roam into the box and make late runs onto crosses and cutbacks to make the most of his eye for goal. Now 25-years-old, he’s no stranger to this league having spent time with Luton Town on loan in the 2020/21 campaign where he registered three goals and six assists in 39 games.
TOWN TEAM NEWS
With a short turnaround between our previous fixture against Middlesbrough at the John Smith’s Stadium on Friday 29 December 2023 and kick-off against Leicester City at 3pm on Monday 1 January 2024, Manager Darren Moore won’t have time to hold a pre-match press conference for this fixture.
Supporters will be able to find out who is available and how Moore has decided to line-up against the Foxes at 2pm on match day, the usual one hour before kick-off.
KIT
We’ll be back in our Acid Lime away kit to begin the New Year, with Leicester at home in their traditional royal blue strip.
Having proven extremely popular with supporters, you can still get your hands on one of your own by visiting us at our Club Shop at the John Smith’s Stadium or by CLICKING HERE to shop online!
TICKET NEWS
Tickets are now off sale for our first Sky Bet Championship fixture of 2024, with no pay on the day in effect at the King Power Stadium.
iFOLLOW HTAFC
Falling outside of the traditional Saturday 3pm broadcast blackout, this fixture will be available to watch and listen to live via iFollow HTAFC!
If you’re unable to travel with us to Leicester, video match passes are £10 and audio match passes are just £2.50.
CLICK HERE to find out more about your options with iFollow.
