Key keywords: Blackburn Rovers vs Leicester City, EFL Cup 2024/25, Ewood Park fixture, Jon Dahl Tomasson, Enzo Maresca, Blackburn Rovers team news, Leicester City predicted lineup, EFL match prediction, Championship playoff race, domestic cup upset This EFL Cup fourth round clash pits Championship side Blackburn Rovers against Premier League returnees Leicester City at Ewood Park on Wednesday 6 November 2024, with both sides eager to secure a spot in the competition’s quarter-finals while balancing their respective league priorities. Enzo Maresca’s Leicester have enjoyed a standout start to their 2024/25 top-flight campaign, sitting 7th in the Premier League after 10 matches with 5 wins, 2 draws and 3 losses, and have already knocked out two lower-league sides in prior League Cup rounds, including a dominant 3-0 away win over Preston North End in the third round. Maresca has repeatedly stated his commitment to competing in all domestic cup competitions this term, and is expected to field a strong but rotated lineup for the trip to Lancashire, giving fringe players a chance to prove their worth ahead of a packed winter fixture schedule that includes Europa League commitments. On the team news front for Leicester, iconic striker Jamie Vardy is ruled out with a minor hamstring strain sustained in last weekend’s 2-1 league win over Everton, while summer defensive signing Callum Doyle is cup-tied after featuring for former club Coventry City earlier in the competition. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is set to return to the starting XI after being rested at the weekend, while Patson Daka will lead the line in Vardy’s absence. Jon Dahl Tomasson’s Blackburn, meanwhile, are currently 10th in the EFL Championship, just 2 points outside the playoff spots, and have won 4 of their last 5 matches across all competitions, including a shock 2-1 third round League Cup win over Premier League side Luton Town. Rovers have no new injury concerns heading into the tie, with top scorer Sammie Szmodics fit to start after notching 8 goals in 14 Championship appearances so far this season. Tomasson confirmed in his pre-match press conference that he will name his strongest available lineup, as his side look to claim another top-flight scalp and reach the League Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 2007. Our match prediction forecasts a tight, high-tempo contest: Blackburn’s aggressive high-pressing style will test a rotated Leicester backline in the first half, but the Foxes’ superior top-flight quality is likely to shine through in the final 30 minutes. We expect a 2-1 win for Leicester, with Daka and Dewsbury-Hall on the scoresheet for the away side, and Szmodics netting a late consolation for Rovers. Predicted lineups: Blackburn Rovers (4-2-3-1): Kaminski; Pickering, Carter, Hyam, Brittain; Rankin-Costello, Travis; Szmodics, Dolan, Gallagher; Leonard. Leicester City (4-3-3): Hermansen; Justin, Coady, Faes, Kristiansen; Choudhury, Dewsbury-Hall, Winks; McAteer, Daka, Mavididi.