Leicester vs Cardiff prediction: ENGLAND: Championship betting tips on match 2023-08-18 14:00.
After a perfect start to this campaign, Leicester City could do something that not even the 102-point Championship-winning squad of 2013/14 managed, and make it four wins from four at the beginning of the season. Last weekend, Leicester once more waited beyond the 70th minute to grab three points (vs Huddersfield) and made good yet again on manager Enzo Maresca’s plea for his players to “not get frustrated” and to “be patient”.
Having held out so stoically, the Foxes will feel very confident about their chances of a third straight clean-sheet win in all competitions. That is something they last managed way back in November, but defending at home remains an issue, as the avoidable set-piece goal shipped to Coventry in round one extended their wait for a home league shutout to 14 matches.
Cardiff City will travel to the East Midlands feeling subdued, as they are still winless inside 90 minutes this term following a 2-1 loss to heavily relegation-tipped QPR last time out. Both of the Bluebirds’ league games so far have seen potentially vital points dropped due to goals conceded after the hour mark, so Leicester’s recent late shows could spell disaster for the Welsh outfit.
As if that wasn’t enough, the Bluebirds are also on a miserable run of just one Championship away clean sheet in a dozen attempts in 2023. That said, they’ve fared well at the King Power Stadium in recent visits, staying unbreached in five of their eight latest trips to this venue (W3, D2, L3).
Players to watch: With his winner against Huddersfield, Leicester forward Stephy Mavididi ended a wait of 2,030 days to bag a senior-level goal on his native soil after spells abroad with Juventus, Dijon and Montpellier. In opposition, Cardiff’s Iké Ugbo seeks to make it three goals in as many Championship appearances so far. Yet, any potential strike by the Troyes loanee seems unlikely to be match-winning, with both teams netting in each of his previous five goalscoring games (D4, L1).
Hot streak: Each of the previous 12 regular season Championship H2Hs have seen at least one side keep a first-half clean sheet.