Former Championship defender Joe Jacobson believes that an in-form Leicester City will pose serious problems for high-flying sides such as West Brom, Middlesbrough, and Coventry City in the race for promotion.
After the Foxes dropped out of the Premier League last season, they parted company with Ruud van Nistelrooy and appointed Marti Cifuentes as his successor.
Leicester haven’t made a perfect start to their Championship campaign, as they continue adjusting to life under their new manager. They’ve drawn four of their last five league fixtures but secured a vital win over Swansea City at the weekend.
Ex-Championship left-back Jacobson highlighted that Leicester boast several top-quality players with Premier League pedigree and believes they can decide games on their own.
He also pointed out that teams like Coventry, Middlesbrough, and West Brom—who have all begun the season brightly—will be keeping a wary eye on Leicester once they hit form.
The former Wycombe Wanderers captain thinks the Foxes’ recent Premier League experience gives them an advantage over most of their rivals.
“I think they have still got players who have Premier League experience, like Bobby Decordova-Reid up front,” Jacobson said on talkSPORT’s EFL All Access (23:06).
“They have got players that can win you matches.
“But when you can get someone like Jordan James scoring goals, creating them, then it adds another dimension to your squad.
“Leicester have got an aura about them in the Championship; they are a huge, huge club in that division.
“So, once they get on a [winning] run, get that momentum behind them, I think they are going to be a really, really tough team to stop.
“And, for the Middlesbroughs, for the Coventrys, the West Broms, those teams who have not had a promotion recently to the Premier League, if you have a Leicester coming up behind you, you start to look over your shoulder and think that they have got that experience within their squad to get promoted, they know what it is.
“So, I think at the minute, they will be happy to be where they are.”
Leicester have numerous players in their ranks with significant Premier League experience, and it remains to be seen whether they can surpass Coventry, Middlesbrough, and West Brom as the campaign unfolds.
Richard Keys recently shared his opinion that Frank Lampard’s Coventry are the strongest team in the Championship; they currently sit top of the table.