Leicester vs Stoke prediction: ENGLAND: Championship betting tips on match 2023-10-06 14:00.
Runaway leaders Leicester City continue to make light work of the Championship, as a 3-0 victory over Preston on Wednesday saw them equal the best start that any team has made to a season in the competition’s history. The Foxes have taken a remarkable 27 of the 30 points on offer to them, with the win over fellow early season high-flyers Preston seeing Enzo Maresca’s men enjoy 70% possession while restricting North End to just one shot on target.
Since being beaten by Hull in early September, Leicester have won five league matches on the bounce. They’ve conceded just twice in that sequence, while the six goals they’ve conceded in their ten league matches is the division’s best tally. If there is a chink in their armour, it could be conceding first, as on the last six occasions they’ve let in the opener, they’ve won just once (D2, L3).
Stoke City showed no such vulnerability at the weekend, as despite trailing 2-0 before half-time, the Potters produced a miraculous comeback to beat Bristol City 3-2 at Ashton Gate. Alex Neil’s men were brought back down to earth with a 1-0 reverse against Southampton on Tuesday though, leaving them just two points clear of the drop zone.
Stoke have suffered on the road for a long time, as their victory over Bristol City ended a seven-match winless streak in Championship away matches (D3, L4). The Potters failed to score in five of the games in that sequence, which provides a worrying backdrop to arguably the toughest away trip in the division at present. It’s not one they’ve enjoyed recently either, as Stoke have failed to win any of the last seven H2Hs (D4, L3), while Neil also lost his two managerial meetings with the Foxes.
Players to watch: In top scorer André Vidigal’s possible absence, wing-back Ki-Jana Hoever may well be Stoke’s most likely source of a goal contribution having scored once and assisted twice this season. Leicester, meanwhile, have multiple threats across the pitch, but none more potent than Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who has netted three times in his last two matches and has eight direct goal contributions this campaign (G5, A3), the joint-highest total in the division.
Hot stat: Stoke have amassed 29 Championship yellow cards this term – second only to Southampton (30).