Leicester returns to the Championship as they host Coventry on the opening day. The Foxes are now playing at this level again. Their opponents lost the playoff final in May.
Preview (Leicester vs Coventry)
Leicester is now again playing in the second division of English football after spending nine years in the Premier League. They notably won the championship and advanced to the Champions League quarterfinals. Many players have left the King Power Stadium. Most notably James Maddison and Harvey Barnes. The Foxes need a change in both the players and the coaching staff. Given the players who have come through the door, Leicester fans have reason to be optimistic about Enzo Maresca, a former coach at Manchester City, who has been handed the responsibility of heading the new era.
Conor Coady, Callum Doyle, and Harry Winks’ recruitment are all significant deals for the East Midlands giants. So is Stephy Mavididi’s departure from Ligue 1 and subsequent return to England. He was previously signed by Arsenal. Although the preseason was uneventful—Leicester was destroyed by Liverpool last weekend—that will soon be forgotten if they start their season off with the most points possible.
Although it was a disappointment to see top scorer Viktor Gyokeres sold, even for a large sum of money, Mark Robins now has the financial resources to greatly improve his team in many aspects. Ellis Simms and Haji Wright will lead the line. They will be the focus of attention. However, Robins has gathered talent from all over the world to assemble a team of players that appears to be more formidable than in 2022–23. Coventry played mainly lower-tier EFL teams throughout the preseason. They still managed to win three of those games and draw the other.
Team News
Maresca must choose whether to pair Jannik Vestergaard or Harry Souttar with Callum Doyle in the middle of the defense after Coady had a foot injury during the preseason. Jamie Vardy is dealing with a fitness problem as well. The club legend will start on the bench. Mavididi will be ready to start. A number of players will be vying for the left-wing position. Kasey McAteer and Kelechi Iheanacho are players vying for a place in the front three.
Robins might choose a Coventry lineup resembling the one that kicked off the most recent friendly match against Exeter City, but Gustavo Hamer has to be brought back into the midfield. Brad Collins, Bobby Thomas, Joel Latibeaudiere, Jay Dasilva, Tatsuhiro Sakamoto, and Simms are among the newcomers that might play for the team. It’s impossible to predict the outcome of this game because both clubs are significantly rebuilding. Although Coventry may enjoy the opportunity to play the title favorites first, we believe the Foxes are the team most likely to win since they are better and have more experience.
Leicester 3 – 1 Coventry
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