Ipswich Town FC

Mick McCarthy says Town will be facing the best team in the Championship by a mile when he takes his team to the King Power Stadium on Saturday. 

Leicester sit eight points clear of second placed Burnley after a midweek draw at east midlands rivals Nottingham Forest saw them stretch their unbeaten League run to 12 games, which includes a club record nine successive wins. 

“I was at the Forest game in midweek and Leicester went in front through a bizarre goal but they were controlling the game at the time,” Mick told Ipswich Player. 

“Then Forest scored twice, also through bizarre goals. Konchesky got sent-off so they were down to 10 men for the last half an hour but you could see them getting back into the game and they did that. 

“I had a Forest fan in my ear all game. He was saying ‘Leicester are not that good. How many of their players will play in the Premier League?’ I rolled off six or seven names without even thinking about it. 

“They have got good players and they are a really good team. They are the best team in the Championship by a mile. 

“They just missed out last season in the Play-Offs but they have got stronger. Nigel Pearson [Leicester boss] has done a terrific job there. He had to trim down their squad and change things around a bit but he’s had them going in the right direction for a while and they will go up this season.

“So we know we face a big challenge but they played in midweek and we’ve got to look to take advantage of that. We won’t be sitting back and letting them settle. We will be going for it.”

David McGoldrick, who scored against the Foxes in the 2-1 defeat at Portman Road earlier this season, looks likely to miss the rest of the Championship campaign after damaging his medial knee ligaments in the draw against Blackpool last weekend. Luke Hyam is also missing, having sustained a hamstring injury in the same game. 

Leicester will be without Paul Konchesky who was red carded in the midweek draw at Nottingham Forest, while Sean St Ledger and Tom Hopper are still on the sidelines through injury.

Town - 14th

Leicester - 6th

Town - 9th 

Leicester – 1st 

David Nugent: Who else? The striker just loves playing Blues. He scored twice in the Foxes’ 6-0 win over Town last season and then followed that up with another brace in their 2-1 win at Portman Road in November. That took his tally to 13 goals in 12 games against Blues. With 15 Championship goals to his name this term, he is Leicester’s leading scorer.

Referee: James Linington

Assistants: Nick Greenhalgh and David Woolford

Fourth official: Geoffrey Russell

Live commentary of the game will be available on Ipswich Player, with live updates available through our official Twitter and Facebook pages. Tune into @Official_ITFC at 2pm for exclusive Town team news too.