Wednesday’s sole Championship encounter sees Leicester City look to keep their push for a play-off place on track against a Middlesbrough side whose own promotion ambitions have hit the buffers in January.
The game was delayed by 24 hours due to Boro’s involvement in the FA Cup fourth-round tie at north-east neighbours Sunderland on Sunday and that could hand an immediate advantage to the Foxes.
Nigel Pearson, who captained Boro to promotion to the Premier League in 1998, saw his Leicester charges comfortably defeat League Two Swindon 2-0 in the cup on Saturday, while Tony Mowbray’s side were involved in a blood and thunder derby draw at the Stadium of Light a day later.
The extra 24 hours’ rest and the fact the Foxes were not pushed too hard should stand the hosts in good stead, although Pearson has doubts over in-form striker Jermaine Beckford and full-back Lee Peltier from that game.
However, loan striker Nathan Delfouneso (13/8 Anytime Scorer) could come in for Beckford, while Liam Moore is available to replace Peltier if required.
Pearson also has midfielder Danny Drinkwater and goalkeeper Conrad Logan available, while new signing Wes Morgan will be in the squad.
Boro have problems in goal with teenage keeper Connor Ripley set for only his second start after coming off the bench to replace veteran Danny Coyne at Sunderland, while first-choice custodian Jason Steele is still sidelined with a thigh strain.
Influential midfielder Nicky Bailey remains sidelined due to a knee injury, while Julio Arca serves the second match of a three-game ban after being sent off at Coventry.
Kevin Thomson returns from his one-game suspension as Mowbray is likely to name a similar side which earned a creditable cup draw on Wearside.
Leicester have won their last three games, albeit two of those were in the FA Cup with a win at Southampton sandwiched in between, while they lost their last league game at the King Power Stadium when Barnsley triumphed 2-1.
The Foxes’ last league win on home soil was against Blackpool at the end of November so they are not exactly firing on all cylinders in front of their own fans.
Boro’s impressive first half to the season has unravelled in recent weeks as they go to Leicester on the back of three successive league defeats, in which time they have conceded eight goals and scored only once.
However Mowbray will no doubt hope his players can transfer their impressive performance from the Sunderland cup tie into the league to ensure they stop the rot in the East Midlands on Wednesday.
Recent fixtures between the two sides have been close affairs with five draws from the last seven, while Leicester won the other two when they did the double over Boro in the 2009/10 season.
It was a goalless draw at the Riverside earlier this season and there is a good chance of a similar outcome this week.
Prediction: Draw 90 Minutes @ 23/10
Value Bet: 0-0 Draw Correct Score @ 15/2
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