Leicester City travel to the northeast to face 10th-placed Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Tuesday evening.
The Foxes will be desperate to return to winning ways having lost their last three in the Championship, meanwhile, the hosts are also enduring a dismal run of form.
The Black Cats have lost four on the bounce and that poor run has coincided with an injury to their talisman and top scorer Jack Clarke, who isn’t due to return until April.
City have their own injury concerns, too, with Ricardo Pereira, Dennis Praet, Wilfred Ndidi and Kasey McAteer all ruled out.
Jannik Vestergaard will also have to watch on from the sidelines, as he serves the last of his two-match ban for picking up 10 bookings.
Ahead of the clash, Sky Sports pundit David Prutton has issued his prediction.
David Prutton makes Leicester City v Sunderland prediction
Enzo Maresca‘s side were 12 points clear at the summit of the Championship table not long ago, now that gap has closed to just three points, with Ipswich Town on their tails.
But, despite a miserable run, Prutton has backed Leicester to return to winning ways: “Sunderland are drifting, badly. Changing manager has not helped and it is four defeats in a row now. A season that started with so much promise is dwindling, and they are without Jack Clarke for the foreseeable as well.
“That should all give Leicester some hope. They have lost three in a row, and are just five clear of Leeds in third heading into this one. What seemed like a procession at one stage is getting a little edgy. But I think this is where they get back to winning ways, because Sunderland are in no kind of form.”
The Sky pundit predicts a 2-1 away win for The Foxes, which would be a massive boost in their push for promotion back to the Premier League.
Enzo Maresca must solve Leicester City’s midfield dilemma
Leicester have lacked steeliness and defensive nouse in midfield having lost Ndidi through injury and Cesare Casadei, who was recalled by Chelsea in January.
Pereira has operated as a number eight in recent weeks but he is expected to miss Tuesday’s game and won’t return until after the international break.
That leaves Maresca with few options in midfield but he must find a way to adapt as the lack of physical prowess in that area has cost them lately.
Ndidi is due back within the next two weeks but for now, the Italian head coach should consider deploying Hamza Choudhury in the middle.
James Justin would have to move from left to right, though, that could present Callum Doyle an opportunity to return to the side at left-back.
Maresca has a big decision to make.