Leicester City vs Sheffield United: Preview, Prediction, Lineups

Leicester City vs Sheffield United — Match Preview

The King Power Stadium hosts a fascinating Championship clash this Saturday as Leicester City look to bounce back from a heavy midweek defeat against a resurgent Sheffield United.

Leicester, currently sitting 15th, are enduring a turbulent spell. Their 3-0 loss to Southampton on Wednesday highlighted significant defensive frailties, exacerbated by a suspension to youngster Olabade Aluko. With manager Martí Cifuentes facing a defensive injury crisis, the Foxes need a result to stabilize their season and stay in touch with the top half.

In contrast, Sheffield United arrive in the East Midlands flying high. Despite sitting 21st, their recent form tells a different story: back-to-back 3-0 victories against Sheffield Wednesday and Portsmouth suggest the Blades have turned a corner. However, fatigue could be a massive factor—Chris Wilder’s men played just 48 hours ago on Thursday night, leaving them with minimal recovery time compared to their hosts.

Leicester City vs Sheffield United — Quick Match Info

Fixture: Leicester City vs Sheffield United
Competition: EFL Championship (Matchday 18)
Venue: King Power Stadium, Leicester (Capacity: 32,261)
Date: Saturday, 29 November 2025
Kickoff Time: 12:30 GMT / 13:30 CET / 18:00 IST
Referee: Anthony Backhouse
TV Channel (UK): Sky Sports Football
TV Channel (India): FanCode
Live Stream: Sky Go (UK), FanCode (India)

Leicester City vs Sheffield United — Match Context (2025/26 Season)

Leicester City:

Position: 15th in Championship (24 Points).
Form: Inconsistent. While they beat Stoke and Norwich recently, the 3-0 loss to Southampton was a reality check. They haven’t kept a clean sheet in their last 5 games.
Current Challenge: A defensive injury crisis. With Kristiansen, Souttar, Nelson, and Godfrey all unavailable, plus Aluko suspended, Cifuentes is down to the bare bones at the back.

Sheffield United:

Position: 21st in Championship (16 Points).
Form: Surging. Two consecutive 3-0 wins (vs Sheffield Wednesday and Portsmouth) have breathed new life into their season. They have scored 6 goals without reply in their last two outings.
Current Challenge: Extreme Fatigue. Playing on Thursday and then Saturday is a brutal turnaround. Wilder will need to rotate intelligently to keep the intensity high.

Leicester City vs Sheffield United — What’s at Stake

For Leicester City:

Mid-Table Stability: A win would push them towards the play-off conversation and calm nerves after the midweek drubbing. A loss could see them slide dangerously close to the relegation scrap.

For Sheffield United:

Escape Velocity: A third straight win would likely lift them out of the bottom three (depending on other results) and confirm their resurgence is real.

Leicester City vs Sheffield United — Team Form

Leicester City (Last 5 Matches):

L vs Southampton (0-3)
W vs Stoke (2-1)
W vs Norwich (2-1)
D vs Middlesbrough (1-1)
L vs Blackburn (0-2)

Sheffield United (Last 5 Matches):

W vs Portsmouth (3-0)
W vs Sheffield Wednesday (3-0)
D vs QPR (0-0)
L vs Coventry (1-3)
L vs Derby (1-3)

Leicester City vs Sheffield United — Team News

Leicester City:

Olabade Aluko: Suspended (Red Card vs Southampton).
Victor Kristiansen: Out (Knock).
Harry Souttar: Out (Achilles Tendon).
Ben Nelson: Out (Injury).
Ben Godfrey: Out (Personal Reasons).
Aaron Ramsey: Out (Hamstring).
Caleb Okoli: Questionable (Inactive).
Ricardo Pereira: Questionable (Inactive – Hamstring management).
Selection: With no natural left-back available, James Justin might switch flanks, or Cifuentes could use a winger like Fatawu as a wing-back in a back-three system.

Sheffield United:

Oliver Arblaster: Questionable (Knee Injury).
Tahith Chong: Questionable (Knee Injury).
Fatigue Management: After playing Thursday, expect rotation. Kieffer Moore or Rhian Brewster (if fit) could come in for Patrick Bamford or Tom Cannon to freshen up the attack.

Leicester City vs Sheffield United — Head to Head

14 Mar 2021: Leicester 5–0 Sheffield Utd
06 Dec 2020: Sheffield Utd 1–2 Leicester
16 Jul 2020: Leicester 2–0 Sheffield Utd
24 Aug 2019: Sheffield Utd 1–2 Leicester
17 Feb 2018: Leicester 1–0 Sheffield Utd (FA Cup)

Leicester City vs Sheffield United — Previous Starting XIs

Leicester City (vs Southampton – 26.11.25):

GK: Asmir Begovic
DEF: Hamza Choudhury, Wout Faes, Jannik Vestergaard, Olabade Aluko (Red Carded)
MID: Oliver Skipp, Harry Winks
ATT: Abdul Fatawu, Jordan James, Stephy Mavididi, Patson Daka

Sheffield United (vs Portsmouth – 27.11.25):

GK: Michael Cooper
DEF: Femi Seriki, Japhet Tanganga, Ben Mee, Sam McCallum
MID: Sydie Peck, Jaïro Riedewald
ATT: Andre Brooks, Callum O’Hare, Tom Cannon, Patrick Bamford

Leicester City vs Sheffield United — Predicted Lineups

Leicester City (4-2-3-1):

GK: Asmir Begovic
RB: Hamza Choudhury
CB: Wout Faes
CB: Jannik Vestergaard
LB: James Justin (Filling in due to crisis)
CDM: Harry Winks
CDM: Oliver Skipp
RW: Abdul Fatawu
CAM: Jordan James
LW: Stephy Mavididi
ST: Patson Daka

Sheffield United (3-4-1-2):

Wilder may switch to a back three to protect tired legs and match Leicester’s physicality.

GK: Michael Cooper
CB: Anel Ahmedhodzic (Returning to XI)
CB: Japhet Tanganga
CB: Ben Mee
RWB: Femi Seriki
CM: Vinícius Souza (Fresh legs)
CM: Jaïro Riedewald
LWB: Sam McCallum
CAM: Callum O’Hare
ST: Tyrese Campbell (Impact rotation)
ST: Tom Cannon

Leicester City vs Sheffield United — Impact Bench Options

Leicester City:

Jamie Vardy: The veteran striker is the ultimate impact sub at the King Power. If Leicester need a goal, the crowd will roar for him.
Bilal El Khannouss: Creativity off the bench if Jordan James struggles to unlock the defense.

Sheffield United:

Patrick Bamford: Likely to be rested after starting Thursday, but a massive weapon to bring on for the last 30 minutes.
Gustavo Hamer: If he didn’t start Thursday, his energy in midfield will be vital in the second half.

Leicester City vs Sheffield United — Tactical Outlook

Leicester City:

Playing Style: Possession with Vulnerability. Leicester will try to control the ball (Winks/Skipp pivot), but their makeshift defense is a huge worry. Without a natural left-back, Sheffield United will target that flank relentlessly with Seriki and Brooks.
Weakness: Defensive Depth. With Aluko suspended and Kristiansen injured, one injury during the game could force a midfielder into the backline.

Sheffield United:

Playing Style: Direct & Intense. Wilder’s team is finally clicking. They press high and transition fast. Callum O’Hare is the key link man. They will look to exploit Leicester’s fatigue and defensive confusion.
Strength: Momentum. Scoring 6 goals in two games does wonders for confidence. They look dangerous every time they go forward.

Leicester City vs Sheffield United — Key Battles

Matchup	Battle Type	Edge
Hamza Choudhury vs. Sam McCallum	Makeshift RB vs. Overlapping LWB: Choudhury is a midfielder playing right-back. McCallum will test his positioning constantly.	Sheffield Utd
Harry Winks vs. Callum O’Hare	Control vs. Chaos: Winks wants to slow the game down; O’Hare wants to speed it up. If O’Hare finds space between the lines, Leicester are in trouble.	Sheffield Utd
Patson Daka vs. Ben Mee	Pace vs. Experience: Daka’s speed is Leicester’s best outlet. Mee reads the game well but can be exposed in a foot race.	Leicester

Leicester City vs Sheffield United — Spotlight Players

Stephy Mavididi (Leicester City):

With the defense struggling, Leicester need their attackers to bail them out. Mavididi’s 1v1 ability is elite. He needs to pin Sheffield United back and relieve pressure on his makeshift backline.

Callum O’Hare (Sheffield United):

The creative spark behind the Blades’ resurgence. His energy is infectious, and against a Leicester midfield that played a tough game on Wednesday, his movement could be the difference-maker.

Leicester City vs Sheffield United — Fan Reactions

Leicester Fans:

“No left-back, Aluko banned… this could be ugly if we don’t score first.”

“Sheffield United played Thursday? We have to run them into the ground.”

Sheffield United Fans:

“Two 3-0 wins in a row! We are back!”

“The schedule is a joke, but the lads are flying. Let’s smash them.”

Leicester City vs Sheffield United — Match-Defining Factors

Fatigue: Sheffield United played 48 hours ago. Leicester played 72 hours ago. That extra day of rest is massive in the Championship.
Leicester’s Left Side: Who plays there? If it’s a youngster or a player out of position, Sheffield United will overload that zone.
The First Goal: Sheffield United are confident; Leicester are fragile. If the Blades score first, the King Power crowd could turn toxic.

Leicester City vs Sheffield United — Prediction

Score Prediction: Leicester City 1–1 Sheffield United

Betting Insights:

Outcome: Draw or Sheffield United Double Chance.
Both Teams to Score: YES (Leicester’s defense is patched up; Sheffield United are scoring freely).
Total Goals: Under 3.5 Goals (Fatigue will set in for both sides in the second half).

Analysis: Under normal circumstances, Leicester at home would be favorites. But with their defensive crisis and Sheffield United’s red-hot form, the gap closes. However, the brutal 48-hour turnaround for the Blades is the great equalizer. Expect a game where Sheffield United start strong but fade late, allowing Leicester to salvage a point.

Leicester City vs Sheffield United — Final Word

It’s a battle of Fatigue vs. Fragility. Leicester City are patching up a broken defense, while Sheffield United are battling a punishing schedule. The Blades have the form, but the Foxes have the rest. A gritty, entertaining draw seems the most likely outcome as both teams fight through their respective crises.

Leicester City vs Sheffield United — FAQs

When is the Leicester vs Sheffield United match?

The match kicks off on Saturday, 29 November 2025, at 12:30 GMT (18:00 IST).

Is Olabade Aluko playing?

No, Olabade Aluko is suspended after receiving a red card against Southampton.

Why did Sheffield United play on Thursday?

Fixture congestion has led to a tight turnaround, giving them only one rest day before this clash.

Where can I watch the match in India?

You can stream the match live on FanCode.

Call to Action — SportsphereArena Community

Can the Blades overcome the fatigue, or will Leicester’s extra rest prove decisive? Drop your score predictions below!

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