Northampton Town vs Leicester City

Leicester City’s pre-season tour gets underway at the Sixfields Stadium as they meet high-flying Northampton Town.

Northampton Town secured League One promotion by the skin of their teeth last season, beating Stockport County to the finishing line by four points, largely thanks to their impressive form down the final stretch. Indeed, the ‘Cobblers’ racked up three wins in their last four league outings (L1) to make a League One return for the first time since 2020/21. Despite the high stakes, Jon Brady’s side delivered entertainment in abundance, with three of those four matches seeing over 2.5 goals and both teams scoring. Likewise, their last two meetings with Leicester have yielded an identical 2-1 scoreline, with both sides grabbing one win apiece.

Unlike their rivals, Leicester City experienced a nightmarish league campaign in 2022/23, as they failed to keep hold of their Premier League status only seven years after conquering England’s top division against the odds. Faced with a mass summer exodus, Enzo Maresca’s men hope for a fresh start, and a 2-1 home win over West Ham United on the final day of last season could be a sign of better days. That result spelled the end of their underwhelming five-game winless run (D3, L2) but also marked the 15th time they’ve failed to keep a clean sheet across their last 16 games. Leicester’s defensive woes have seen them concede at least two goals in four of their most recent five fixtures, suggesting Maresca’s first assignment as the new manager is to plug the leaks at the back.