- Odds: Leicester are 1.34 favourites to win, Northampton 8.0, with the draw at 5.1
- Away form: Northampton are winless in five (D0, L5) away from home in all competitions
- Home form: Leicester are winless in five at home (D3, L2) in all competitions
Leicester should have the edge
Leicester's approach
This Carabao Cup first-round tie at the King Power has the potential to be a real test of how Russell Martin's Leicester City operate against a lower-tier side who will try to play the same way. The Foxes boss has overseen his team play a possession-first football in which he has implemented a flexible system that can change shape depending on the situation. Martin's side press high, win the ball back in good areas and are just as comfortable playing out from the back.
Northampton's approach
Chris Hogg, who took over at Northampton Town on 1 July 2026, the Cobblers boss, wants his team to be the protagonists in every match and not sit back. Northampton will come to the King Power and mix up their compact style of build-up play with pressure at times and some direct balls when they can. But they may lack the quality to maintain that and keep up with Leicester's tempo.
Northampton may score
Leicester are 1-6-3 in their last ten games in all competitions, so they are far from perfect even if they have the advantage of greater all-round quality. Their last match was a 1-0 away win over Blackburn Rovers in the Championship that has helped mask a recent run of three draws and a defeat.
The 1-0 win is also the result that Leicester recorded against Northampton in the previous head-to-head clash in the Friendly Club Match 2023, but this time the Foxes will have the home-field advantage.
Northampton have scored four goals in their five away games, so they do have some bite up front but they arrive in a poor run of 0-1-9 across their last ten in all competitions. They are coming off a 2-3 home defeat to Plymouth Argyle in League One, who are a good team, but Northampton may have been fortunate to get anything from that game.
Foxes should win the possession battle
Northampton are without a win in their previous five on the road in all competitions, so this is a good opportunity for Leicester to get their first home win of the season in all competitions.
Martin's men have the ability to control the ball for long periods, which should see Northampton stuck in their own half for long spells, so the away side are not likely to cause enough damage to make both teams to score a sure bet.
- Our primary selection will be Leicester to win and we will take the extra risk of them to do so with both teams scoring as the odds for the latter are still tight at around the 1.8 mark.
- Over 2.5 goals is 1.53 and BTTS - Yes is 1.8, but the difference is not much and Leicester have conceded 1.80 goals per game at home while scoring only 1.20.
