Leicester vs Ipswich
After winning the 2023/24 Championship under Enzo Maresca, Leicester have struggled to adapt to the fast pace of the Premier League. The East Midlands side will return to the Championship next season, with the future of their current head coach still in doubt.
Leicester have been playing well in recent weeks.
However, Ruud van Nistelrooy, who was appointed mid-season, has a chance to keep his job as the Foxes end an 11-game winless streak, picking up four points from their last two games, including a draw at Southampton and a 2-2 draw at Nottingham Forest, who are competing for a Champions League spot.
At the City Ground, it looked as though a brace from Morgan Gibbs-White and Chris Wood would have given Forest all three points. But a late strike from Facundo Buonanotte cost the home side a vital win in their race for a top-five finish.
Despite a rare two-match unbeaten run, Leicester are still languishing in 19th place in the Premier League, 16 points behind 17th-placed Tottenham. This figure clearly reflects the huge gap between the bottom group and the rest of the league this season.
This weekend, the King Power Stadium will witness a historic moment, when Leicester icon Jamie Vardy makes his 500th and final appearance for the club. The 38-year-old striker is on the verge of reaching 200 goals for the Foxes in all competitions, ending a brilliant journey since winning the Premier League in the 2015/16 season.
Ipswich have been relegated and have lost their motivation to fight.
Leicester’s plight mirrors that of their opponents on Sunday: Ipswich Town, who are also known as the “Tractor Boys” and will be out of the Premier League after failing to capitalise on their home advantage in the relegation battle.
Kieran McKenna's side have won just one of their 18 home games this season, their latest defeat coming last weekend when Brentford won 1-0 thanks to Kevin Schade's only goal.
After 36 games, Ipswich are 18th with 22 points, level on points with Leicester but ahead on goal difference. Notably, 15 of their 22 points have come from away games, including a 2-0 win over Bournemouth thanks to goals from Nathan Broadhead and Liam Delap.
Centre-forward Liam Delap, who scored 12 goals in his first Premier League season, is preparing for his final games for Ipswich. The Manchester City academy graduate is expected to leave Portman Road in search of a new destination in the summer transfer window.