Leicester City vs Derby County — Match Preview
A fierce East Midlands derby takes center stage at the King Power Stadium on Friday, 26 December 2025. This Boxing Day clash sees two sides locked together in the table, with both Derby County (12th) and Leicester City (13th) sitting on 31 points. The Foxes are looking for revenge after thrashing the Rams 3–1 at Pride Park earlier this month, only to suffer a heavy 1–4 defeat to QPR in their last outing. Derby, managed by John Eustace, arrive in steady form, unbeaten in their last two games, including a solid 3–0 win over Sheffield Wednesday. With local bragging rights and a push for the playoffs on the line, the atmosphere in Leicester will be electric.
Leicester City vs Derby County — Match Info
- Competition: EFL Championship (Matchday 23)
- Venue: King Power Stadium, Leicester (Capacity: 32,261)
- Date: Friday, 26 December 2025
- Kickoff: 15:00 GMT | 16:00 CET | 10:00 ET
- Referee: TBC (EFL Appointment)
Leicester City vs Derby County — Match Stakes
Leicester City (13th — 31 pts):
- Win → Moves to 34 pts; leaps above Derby and potentially into the top 10.
- Draw → Stops the rot after the QPR loss; maintains the status quo in mid-table.
- Loss → A second consecutive defeat; increases pressure on manager Marti Cifuentes as the gap to the playoffs widens.
Derby County (12th — 31 pts):
- Win → Moves to 34 pts; avenges the 1–3 home loss from earlier in December.
- Draw → A respectable point away at a rival; extends unbeaten run to 3 games.
- Loss → Drops below Leicester; dents the momentum built over the festive period.
Leicester City vs Derby County — Team News
Leicester City:
- Harry Souttar — Out (Achilles Tendon Rupture – Season Ending)
- Boubakary Soumaré — Out (Knee Injury)
- Caleb Okoli — Out (Knee Injury)
- Victor Kristiansen — Out (Knee Injury)
- Wout Faes — Questionable (Head Injury/Knock)
- Ben Nelson — Available (Returning from ankle injury to bolster defense)
Derby County:
- Carlton Morris — Out (Knee Injury – Key Striker Missing)
- David Ozoh — Out (Thigh Injury)
- Max Johnston — Out (Hamstring Injury)
- Lewis Travis — Out (Calf Injury)
- Owen Beck — Out (Hamstring Injury)
- Ben Brereton Díaz — Available (Star forward expected to start)
Leicester City vs Derby County — Team Form (Last 5 Matches)
Leicester City
- 20/12 — 1–4 vs QPR (Championship)
- 13/12 — 3–1 vs Ipswich Town (Championship)
- 11/12 — 2–2 vs Bristol City (Championship)
- 06/12 — 3–1 vs Derby County (Championship)
- 29/11 — 2–3 vs Sheffield Utd (Championship)
Derby County
- 20/12 — 1–1 vs Portsmouth (Championship)
- 16/12 — 3–0 vs Sheffield Wed (Championship)
- 11/12 — 1–1 vs Millwall (Championship)
- 06/12 — 1–3 vs Leicester City (Championship)
- 29/11 — 1–2 vs Middlesbrough (Championship)
Leicester City vs Derby County — Head-to-Head (Last Meetings)
- 06/12/2025 — Derby 1–3 Leicester (Championship)
- 23/07/2022 — Derby 1–3 Leicester (Friendly)
- 09/02/2017 — Leicester 3–1 Derby (FA Cup – AET)
- 28/01/2017 — Derby 2–2 Leicester (FA Cup)
- 11/01/2014 — Leicester 4–1 Derby (Championship)
Leicester City vs Derby County — Playing XI (Predicted Lineups)
Leicester City (4-2-3-1)
Stolarczyk; Pereira, Vestergaard, Nelson, Thomas; Skipp, James; Fatawu, De Cordova-Reid, Mavididi; Ayew
Derby County (4-3-3)
Zetterström; Ward, Clarke, Langås, Elder; Adams, Thompson, Sanderson; Clark, Brereton Díaz, Agyemang
Leicester City vs Derby County — Impact Bench
Leicester City: Daka (Pace off the bench), Choudhury (Defensive grit)
Derby County: Weimann (Experience), Batth (Aerial dominance)
Leicester City vs Derby County — Tactical Analysis
Leicester City
Marti Cifuentes’ side has been erratic defensively, conceding 31 goals this season. With key defenders like Souttar and Okoli out, they rely heavily on Jannik Vestergaard’s leadership. At home, they will look to dominate possession and utilize the blistering pace of Stephy Mavididi and Abdul Fatawu on the wings to stretch Derby’s backline, just as they did in the 3–1 win at Pride Park.
Derby County
John Eustace has made Derby tough to beat, but injuries have ravaged their squad. The absence of Carlton Morris means Ben Brereton Díaz carries the scoring burden. Derby will likely set up to absorb pressure and hit Leicester on the counter-attack, exploiting the spaces left by Leicester’s attacking full-backs. Set-pieces will be crucial, with Ebou Adams looking to disrupt Leicester’s rhythm in midfield.
Leicester City vs Derby County — Key Battles
- Fatawu vs Elder — Pace mismatch on the flank; Elder must stay disciplined.
- Adams vs Skipp — The battle for midfield control in a heated derby atmosphere.
- Brereton Díaz vs Vestergaard — Derby’s dynamic forward vs Leicester’s towering but slower center-back.
- Stolarczyk vs Zetterström — A duel of the goalkeepers who will likely be busy.
Leicester City vs Derby County — Spotlight Players
Leicester City — Abdul Fatawu
The Ghanaian winger was the difference-maker in the reverse fixture. His ability to cut inside and shoot or deliver crosses is Leicester’s most potent weapon.
Derby County — Ben Brereton Díaz
The Chilean international is a Premier League-quality forward playing in the Championship. If Derby are to get a result, he needs to be clinical in front of goal.
Leicester City vs Derby County — Prediction
Leicester City 2–2 Derby County
Derby will be desperate to avoid a double defeat to their rivals and have shown resilience in recent weeks. Leicester’s defense is leaking goals (4 vs QPR), and injuries have depleted their backline. Expect an entertaining, high-scoring draw where both attacks outshine the defenses.
Leicester City vs Derby County — Betting Insights
- Both Teams to Score — High Probability (Both teams conceded 30+ goals)
- Over 2.5 Goals — Likely (History of high-scoring H2H games)
- Double Chance — Leicester City or Draw
Leicester City vs Derby County — Where to Watch
- UK: Sky Sports Football / Main Event
- USA: ESPN+
- International: iFollow / Club Streaming Services
Leicester City vs Derby County — FAQs
Q: When is the Leicester vs Derby match?
A: The match kicks off on Friday, 26 December 2025, at 15:00 GMT.
Q: Who won the last meeting?
A: Leicester City won 3–1 at Derby on December 6, 2025.
Q: Is Jamie Vardy playing?
A: He is not expected to start, with Jordan Ayew likely leading the line.
Q: Are there any major injuries?
A: Yes, Leicester are missing Harry Souttar (Achilles) and Derby are without Carlton Morris (Knee).
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