Predicted City line-up (4-2-3-1)”- Leicester City predicted line-up v Walsall with 10 changes on the cards
Odsonne Edouard is set to make his first start for Leicester City, with Steve Cooper having the option to make up to 11 changes for the Carabao Cup match against Walsall.
Edouard debuted on Saturday, coming on for Jamie Vardy in the last 10 minutes of the 1-1 draw with Everton. Given the quick turnaround, Vardy is unlikely to feature from the start, making Edouard the leading candidate to spearhead the attack, alongside potential support from Jordan Ayew.
Cooper will evaluate player fitness after the weekend’s Premier League game, but it appears that only Patson Daka and Jakub Stolarczyk are definitely out as they recover from summer ankle surgeries. With the rest fit, Cooper could potentially rotate the entire squad.
In the previous round, Cooper made eight changes, leading to a 4-0 victory over Tranmere, where goalkeeper Danny Ward and full-backs Ricardo Pereira and Luke Thomas made their season debuts. All three could start again at the Poundland Bescot Stadium.
Wout Faes and Caleb Okoli were the centre-back pairing in the last match, but with them becoming Cooper’s preferred duo in the Premier League, they may be rested ahead of the upcoming game against Arsenal. Conor Coady might make his first start of the season, while Jannik Vestergaard could also return.
In midfield, Harry Winks and Oliver Skipp played together against Tranmere, and Skipp could feature against Walsall after sitting on the bench against Everton. Winks may be rested, with Hamza Choudhury and Boubakary Soumare available as alternatives.
On the wings, Kasey McAteer and Stephy Mavididi started against Tranmere, but Mavididi’s recent Premier League role may see him rested. It’s likely Cooper will choose two from McAteer, Abdul Fatawu, and Bobby De Cordova-Reid.
In attacking midfield, Wilfred Ndidi played last round before moving deeper against Everton. With Bilal El Khannouss now match-fit and Facundo Buonanotte recovering from a groin issue, Cooper has options. El Khannouss may be favored to start to acclimate him to the English game, while Buonanotte could also be considered for the Arsenal match.
Due to Ayew’s place in the Premier League squad, Edouard is expected to lead the line. He was not cup-tied after being an unused substitute in Crystal Palace’s second-round victory over Norwich.
**Predicted Leicester City Line-up (4-2-3-1):** Ward; Ricardo, Coady, Vestergaard, Thomas; Choudhury, Skipp; Fatawu, El Khannouss, De Cordova-Reid; Edouard. **Subs include:** Hermansen, Iversen, Justin, Kristiansen, Faes, Okoli, Ndidi, Soumare, Winks, Buonanotte, Alves, Golding, McAteer, Mavididi, Ayew, Vardy.
