Leicester City host Crystal Palace at the King Power Stadium on Wednesday evening in a Premier League clash that carries significant implications for both teams. The Foxes are desperate to climb out of the relegation scrap, while Palace are aiming to solidify their position in the top half of the table.
Match Details
- Location: King Power Stadium, Leicester, England
- Date: Wednesday, January 15, 2025
- Kick-off Time: 19:30 GMT / 14:30 ET / 11:30 PT
- Referee: Andy Madley
- VAR: Stuart Attwell
Recent Form
Leicester
- Leicester 6-2 QPR (FA Cup)
- Aston Villa 2-1 Leicester (Premier League)
- Leicester 0-2 Man City (Premier League)
- Liverpool 3-1 Leicester (Premier League)
- Leicester 0-3 Wolves (Premier League)
Crystal Palace
- Crystal Palace 1-0 Stockport (FA Cup)
- Crystal Palace 1-1 Chelsea (Premier League)
- Crystal Palace 2-1 Southampton (Premier League)
- Bournemouth 0-0 Crystal Palace (Premier League)
- Crystal Palace 1-5 Arsenal (Premier League)
Team News
Leicester
Leicester remain without several key players, including goalkeeper Mads Hermansen and full-back Ricardo Pereira, both sidelined with injuries. Wilfred Ndidi is unavailable in midfield, while Abdul Fatawu is out for the season with an ACL injury.
Ruud van Nistelrooy has hinted at Jannik Vestergaard’s potential return to the squad, which could bolster a defense that has struggled in recent weeks.
Crystal Palace
Palace are boosted by the return of several players who missed the FA Cup tie against Stockport due to illness, including forward Jean-Philippe Mateta. Will Hughes is also back in the squad after a spell on the sidelines.
However, Adam Wharton remains out with a knee injury and is expected to return in early February.
Predicted Lineups
Leicester (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper: Stolarczyk
Defenders: Justin, Coady, Vestergaard, Kristiansen
Midfielders: Soumare, Winks
Attackers: Buonanotte, El Khannous, Mavididi
Striker: Vardy
Crystal Palace (3-4-2-1)
Goalkeeper: Henderson
Defenders: Chalobah, Lacroix, Guehi
Midfielders: Munoz, Hughes, Lerma, Mitchell
Attackers: Sarr, Eze
Striker: Mateta
Match Prediction
Leicester’s defensive frailties have been glaring this season, with the Foxes conceding two or more goals in each of their last seven games. While their FA Cup win over QPR provided a confidence boost, Crystal Palace’s recent form and resilience under Oliver Glasner could prove too much for the hosts.
Palace’s disciplined defense and ability to capitalize on Leicester’s vulnerabilities may see them edge this encounter, especially with the creative spark of Eberechi Eze and the physical presence of Mateta leading the line.
Prediction: Leicester 1-2 Crystal Palace
