---
title: "Relegated Leicester City Face Northampton Town in Russell Martin's Competitive Debut"
url: https://projectchintan.com/article/leicester-city-northampton-town-efl-cup-preview-russell-martin-ma3z0
publisher: Project Chintan
author: Project Chintan Newsroom
published: 2026-08-08T13:20:00.000Z
modified: 2026-08-08T16:30:30.302Z
language: en-IN
---

# Relegated Leicester City Face Northampton Town in Russell Martin's Competitive Debut

Following a historic slide into League One, Leicester City opens the new season at home against Northampton Town in the EFL Cup first round. The fixture marks a critical fresh start for both clubs under new leadership after devastating relegation campaigns.

## Key takeaways

- Russell Martin manages his first competitive game for Leicester City following his June appointment.
- Leicester City is playing in the third tier of English football for only the second time in club history.
- Northampton Town starts the season in League Two under new manager Chris Hogg after finishing last in League One.

## Why It Matters

This Carabao Cup tie represents a symbolic reset for Leicester City. After two consecutive relegations and a points deduction for financial breaches, the 2016 Premier League champions now reside in the third tier for only the second time ever. For new manager Russell Martin, the match is the first official test of a squad undergoing a massive structural overhaul.

## Background

Leicester City entered a downward spiral last season, finishing 23rd in the Championship with 46 points. Their campaign was hampered by a six-point penalty for violating EFL profit and sustainability regulations and defensive fragility, evidenced by a 64.6 expected goals against (xGA) metric. Northampton Town suffered a similar fate, finishing at the bottom of League One after an 11-game losing streak led to the departure of Kevin Nolan.

## Key Facts

- Leicester City: Russell Martin took charge in June on a three-year deal following the departures of Marti Cifuentes and interim coach Gary Rowett.
- Northampton Town: Chris Hogg makes his senior managerial debut following the club's return to League Two.
- Recent Form: Leicester recently defeated Northampton 3-0 in a July friendly, though they closed preseason with a 1-0 loss to Genoa.
- Personnel: New Foxes signing Liam Cullen is expected to lead the line, while Northampton relies on creative threat Kamarai Swyer, who assisted twice in their 4-2 win over Solihull Moors.
- Head-to-Head: Leicester remains undefeated in four competitive matches against the Cobblers, dating back to 1965.

## What Happens Next

Leicester enters the match as heavy favorites with a 77.8% implied probability of victory. While Northampton has shown attacking sparks through Sam Hoskins and Elliott List, their defensive record—conceding 78.1 xGA last season—remains a significant concern. The Foxes will look to exploit this gap in quality to build momentum for their League One promotion charge, though they may be without defender Ben Nelson, who sustained an injury during the final preseason match.

Source: MrFixitsTips

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Canonical: https://projectchintan.com/article/leicester-city-northampton-town-efl-cup-preview-russell-martin-ma3z0
Reported from: MrFixitsTips