Stoke vs Leicester prediction: ENGLAND: Championship betting tips on match 2024-02-02 15:00.
A paltry return of two wins from their last 15 Championship games (D7, L6) has seen Stoke City slide down the Championship table, and as a result they’re now looking anxiously over their shoulder towards the relegation zone. They return to Championship action with arguably the toughest possible assignment too, with league-leaders Leicester City a seemingly far-from ideal opponent to face as they seek to end their seven match winless home league run (D4, L3).
It’s perhaps not a great surprise Steven Schumacher’s side have struggled to claim any positive recent results on home turf either, as they’ve drawn five scoring blanks across those seven outings. Things aren’t necessarily guaranteed to improve here either, as they’ve failed to score in five of the last ten H2Hs, while they’re winless across the last eight meetings (D4, L4).
Leading the way in the Championship this term, Leicester look rampant having lost just one of their last 13 league games (W9, D3). After FA Cup success last weekend, Enzo Maresca’s side returned to winning ways in the Championship in midweek with a 3-1 win over Swansea, denied an 11th league clean sheet only by a 95th minute consolation.
But while all seems rosy on the pitch, sections of the Foxes’ fanbase remain unhappy with the Italian’s playing philosophy, causing Maresca to hit back after the win over Swansea with a peculiar threat to leave the club if it carries on! Whether he follows up on that threat or not remains to be seen, but one certainty is that his side will continue to play the attacking brand of football that has seen them net a league-high 59 goals this term.
Players to watch: Stoke midfielder Wouter Burger has been booked eight times this season, including in the reverse fixture, which perhaps isn’t that surprising given he averages two fouls per game. Four of Kasey McAteer’s five goals this season have come away from home, with three of those inside the first 20 minutes.
Hot stat: In their last three Championship games, Leicester have conceded a total of four goals after the 85th minute.