How Leicester City could set up when they host Preston North End on Good Friday, with the late return of Patson Daka and injury to Jordan James influencing selection
Jordan Blackwell
16:07, 02 Apr 2026
Gary Rowett with Devine Mukasa
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Gary Rowett with Divine Mukasa after the 2-2 draw between Leicester City and Stoke(Image: Getty Images)
Injuries and late comebacks could pave the way for Divine Mukasa to return to the Leicester City starting line-up against Preston.
While Jordan James is in contention to feature on Friday, with his injury not as serious as first thought, he has still been in recovery this week, and so it seems more likely he will be on the bench at the King Power Stadium.
City will therefore need somebody new to play in attacking midfield, and Mukasa seems the best bet.
Bobby De Cordova-Reid played with Jamaica into the early hours of Wednesday morning UK time and then had a long flight back from Mexico.
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Aaron Ramsey is now fit again, but having not played in three months, he’s also likely to only be a substitute for now.
So while Mukasa made a late return himself having been representing England Under-19s, the Man City loanee is perhaps in the best shape to start.
For City’s most recent two home matches, Gary Rowett opted for two attacking midfielders, and just one holding midfielder in Oli Skipp.
However, given the success of the defensive performance at Watford, and with the aforementioned doubts around the more attack-minded midfielders, Harry Winks could retain his spot alongside Skipp.
The only other change likely from the goalless draw at Vicarage Road is up front. Like De Cordova-Reid, Patson Daka played on the other side of the Atlantic in the early hours of Wednesday morning, and so would have limited recovery and training time this week.
Jordan Ayew, who played his final game for Ghana on Monday evening, is therefore likely to come into the starting 11.
After the best defensive performance of the season at Watford, changes to the back four are very unlikely, with Jamaal Lascelles and Caleb Okoli keeping their spots at centre-back over Ben Nelson and fit-again Jannik Vestergaard.
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Predicted City XI (4-2-3-1): Stolarczyk; Ricardo, Okoli, Lascelles, Thomas; Winks, Skipp; Fatawu, Mukasa, Mavididi; Ayew.
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