Leicester City host Northampton Town in the first round of the EFL Cup at the King Power Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Foxes will be aiming for a strong start to the campaign after suffering relegation from the Championship last season.
Northampton, meanwhile, finished bottom of League One and a shock win away at Leicester would be a huge confidence-booster ahead of the League Two kick-off.
Leicester v Northampton Town Tips Summary
Best bet - Leicester to win @ 1/4
Alternative bet - Over 2.5 goals @ 1/2
Bet Builder - Liam Cullen anytime goalscorer, Both teams to score - No & Leicester/Leicester - Half-time/Full-time @ 5/1
Leicester City v Northampton Town Prediction
Best bet: Leicester to win @ 1/4
Leicester and Northampton face off in the EFL Cup less than a month after they met in a pre-season friendly at Seagrave.
The Foxes won that contest 3-0 in July and will be aiming for a repeat as Russell Martin and his men try to reach the second round and build some momentum ahead of their first season in the third tier since 2009.
City will feel a great deal of expectation to bounce back to the Championship and will be expected to win well on Saturday in front of their home support in their competitive opener.
Martin's side won their first three friendlies in July before drawing 3-3 with Malaga.
Then, after only losing narrowly to Serie A side Genoa, Leicester will take confidence from their summer work.
The Cobblers, meanwhile, have won two friendlies and also managed a creditable goalless draw with Premier League newcomers Coventry City.
Arriving at the King Power Stadium as underdogs, the pressure will be off and this is a free hit ahead of their League Two opener against Swindon Town.
Leicester should have enough quality, though, having been fairly busy in the transfer market this summer and the Foxes are likely to advance to the next round comfortably.
Alternative bet: Over 2.5 goals @ 1/2
Martin will be eager for his team to put on a show for the home fans and knows a win is a must.
Bringing in Ipswich's Conor Chaplin, Liam Cullen from Swansea and Tommy Watson on loan from Brighton, the Foxes should create opportunities and chances will surely come their way against Northampton.
They have already scored three goals in games against the Cobblers, Burton Albion and Malaga this pre-season and will be aiming for a repeat to ensure a safe passage to the next round.
Northampton let in more goals than any other team in League One last season, conceding 74 goals in 46 games.
While defensive reinforcements have been made, the Cobblers will still have a job keeping the Foxes quiet on home soil in the first competitive match of the new campaign.
Leicester City v Northampton Town Bet Builder Tip
Liam Cullen anytime goalscorer
Both teams to score - No
Leicester/Leicester - Half-time/Full-time
Pays @ 5/1
Liam Cullen scored a total of 31 goals for Swansea across the last four seasons in the Championship.
The forward will be looking to bolster his tally in League One and, having started against Genoa, has a good opportunity to net on Saturday against Northampton.
The Foxes have kept three clean sheets during pre-season, including a shutout against the Cobblers, and so backing another looks a smart bet as Northampton are unlikely to get too many chances.
With a place in the second round to play for, Leicester will likely go on the attack from the off and an early goal would put them in control.
Backing the Foxes to lead at half-time and full-time could be a wise move.
Key Match Stats
Leicester won 3-0 when the two sides met in a pre-season friendly in July
The sides last met in League One when Leicester ran out 2-1 winners in January 2009
Only two clubs in the top three divisions conceded more goals (74) than Northampton last season
Leicester have won the League Cup on three occasions in 1964, 1997 and 2000
Northampton's best-ever run in the competition is two fifth-round exits - in 1965 and 1967
The Cobblers have been knocked out of the EFL Cup in the first round in each of the last four years
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
