Profiling Wycombe Wanderers, Leicester City’s Next Pre-Season Opponents
Following a goalless draw with Burton Albion in the first outing of pre-season last Saturday, Brendan Rodgers’ side take the short trip from their training camp in Surrey to face another Sky Bet League 1 outfit.
With just over two weeks to go until the new Premier League season gets underway on 14 August, this latest fixture - which you can watch live and for free on LCFC TV from 7pm – is another opportunity to provide game time for the majority of the squad.
Ahead of tackling the Chairboys, LCFC.com gives the lowdown on the hosts…
The story of 2020/21
The 2020/21 season was a historic one for Wycombe Wanderers, as they entered their maiden campaign in the second tier of English football.
A club playing in non-league at the beginning of the 1990s, they had already defied the odds by reaching the Championship. Although it would ultimately end in relegation, Gareth Ainsworth’s men gave an excellent account of themselves.
Recovering from an early baptism of fire, losing their first seven games as they adjusted to the division after gaining promotion via the League 1 play-offs, the Chairboys began to pick up more positive results in 2021.
But even six wins from their final 11 fixtures, including beating Middlesbrough 3-0 away from home on the final day, following victory over play-off hopefuls AFC Bournemouth, was not quite enough to survive, with Wanderers falling one short of the 44 points needed to remain in the Championship.
The manager
Gareth Ainsworth is the second-longest serving manager in the top four tiers of English football, having taken permanent charge of Wycombe in November 2012. Retiring from playing duties shortly after, Blackburn-born Ainsworth steered the club to League 2 safety.
After battling relegation to the National League during his first two seasons at the helm, 2014/15 brought heartbreak as Ainsworth’s side lost to Southend United on penalties in the play-off final.
The 48-year-old then guided the Chairboys to automatic promotion from League 2 in 2017/18 and League 1 play-off glory followed in 2019/20, sending Wanderers into the Championship for the very first time.
The stats
Versatile defender Josh Knight and forward Admiral Muskwe, both on loan from Leicester City last campaign, became vital members of the starting XI, the latter scoring three goals in his 17 Championship appearances after joining in January. Knight, meanwhile, played 37 games across his season-long loan, netting once.
Leading marksman Uche Ikpeazu scored six times in the league and supplied four assists, while Scott Kashket, Gareth McCleary and Joe Jacobsen all found the net on four occasions across 2020/21. Set-piece specialist Jacobson also led the assists charts with six to his name.
The squad
Wycombe have so far brought 28-year-old Sunderland midfielder Josh Scowen to the club and have also recruited Blackpool winger Sullay Kaikai, both on free transfers, as well as young goalkeeper Adam Przybek from Ipswich Town.
Meanwhile, Fred Onyedinma and Uche Ikpeazu remained in the Championship, joining Luton Town and Middlesbrough respectively, with the latter leaving for a reported club-record fee. A powerful striker, Ikpeazu scored more Championship goals than any other Wycombe player in 2020/21.
Centre-back Darius Charles made the move to AFC Wimbledon on a free transfer and goalkeepers Ryan Allsop and Cameron Yates - a former Foxes youth product - are among the other names to leave Adams Park this summer.
Further arrivals could be imminent before the start of the new campaign, as Wycombe aim for an immediate return to the second tier following their first taste of Championship football.
All times BST.