 Friday, 8th Jan 2010 11:06 Boss Roy Keane will be looking for his Town side to win three games in a row for the first time when the Blues travel to Leicester on Sunday (KO 3pm). The Foxes are very confident that the game will go ahead despite the Arctic weather with the Walkers Stadium pitch having undersoil heating. Keane himself has already been a victim of the weather, the Blues’ boss missing his pre-match press conference on Friday morning as he was stuck at home by heavy overnight snow in Aldeburgh. The Town manager says the weather has led to his squad training indoors this week: "Obviously it's not ideal but every club has had to deal with the same problems this week and we are luckier than a lot of clubs in that we have the indoor pitch that we can use. "You have to be careful with training indoors because of the stresses and strains on the body but we have adapted our schedule and we’ve been able to do some work outside and we’re looking at maybe training on the main pitch on Saturday." Keane is unlikely to make too many changes to the side which won 2-1 in the FA Cup at Blackpool last week and prior to that 3-0 at home to QPR in the league. The Blues boss has confirmed that Arran Lee-Barrett will keep his place in goal despite the availability of new keeper Brian Murphy, who should be on the bench if international clearance is received, which it is expected to be. The Irishman formalised his Bosman free transfer from Bohemians earlier in the week, signing an 18-month deal. Murphy has been handed the number 26 shirt. David Wright will be on the left, Liam Rosenior on the right with Damien Delaney and Gareth McAuley, both ex-Leicester players, in the centre. McAuley broke his wrist at Crystal Palace on Boxing Day but will continue to play with the injury strapped up. In midfield, Grant Leadbitter and David Norris are likely to continue in the centre with Owen Garvan or Jack Colback, who has signed on loan until the end of the season, on the left and Jon Walters perhaps on the right. With Jon Stead serving the second game of his four-match ban, skipper Walters could be used up front alongside Stern John, in which case Jaime Peters will probably go to the right of midfield. Connor Wickham impressed from the bench at Blackpool last week, although without taking his opportunities, and may also be in with a chance of a start. If not, the 16-year-old is likely to be on the bench alongside one of Pablo Couñago or Tamás Priskin. Manager Keane says he isn’t surprised that Leicester are fifth in the table having been League One champions last season: “If teams get off to a good start after winning promotion it gives them a lot of confidence. “Leicester are certainly playing with that at the moment and we'll have to be at our best if we're to get anything from the game. “We played them at home very early and since then they've made one or two signings that I've looked at and thought 'they could do well'. “I'm not saying I predicted they'd be in the top four or five but I thought they could have a good season. “Their manager [Nigel Pearson] is very good and they've got a good mentality. I've seen them a fair bit recently and even when they're not playing well they're still winning matches. That's a very good habit to get into.” The Foxes are waiting on ex-Blue Wayne Brown, who has a muscle strain, while full-back Bruno Berner is a doubt with a calf injury, while striker Martyn Waghorn is back from a ban. Manager Nigel Pearson is keen not to have the match postponed: "It is important to get it played. I am sure there will be a few casualties tomorrow but we are confident the game will be on and we are looking forward to it. “We go into this game with a relatively fit squad. There is only Bruno Berner who is probably going to be a problem for us. We are looking pretty good and it is important we keep the winning run going. But it will be a tough game as they have come in to a bit of good form lately." The Leicester squad has been training indoors, which Pearson says isn't easy: "It has been difficult, as it will be for most sides, because you can't get out on to the grass. "We have had some indoor sessions but it's nothing like the real thing, so it is not ideal. We have had to be careful not to overdo the training on those artificial surfaces. "Having said that, we have gone down to the stadium so we will get some pitch time but it is a case of making do." Town central defender Gareth McAuley joined the Blues from Leicester in the summer of 2008 for £1.1 million, while McAuley’s central defensive partner Damien Delaney’s first English club was then-Premiership Leicester City, the Irishman joining the Foxes from Cork City for £50,000 in 2000. Delaney made seven starts and three sub appearances before moving on to Hull City in 2002. Out of favour left-back Ben Thatcher was with Leicester between 2003 and 2004. Town assistant manager Tony Loughlan was a player with Leicester between for three years before joining Nottingham Forest in 1989 having failed to make a senior appearance and an academy coach with the Foxes between 2001 and 2006 prior to joining Roy Keane at Sunderland. Foxes defender Wayne Brown started his career with Town, making 37 starts and 13 sub appearances, scoring one goal between 1995 and 2002. Leicester manager Nigel Pearson was interviewed for the Town manager’s job in 2006 with then-chairman David Sheepshanks believed to be keen on appointing him before Jim Magilton was eventually offered the role. Foxes striker Martyn Waghorn is a Sunderland team-mate of Jack Colback’s and like the midfielder had his loan spell extended until the end of the season earlier in the week. Winger Dany N’Guessan was linked with the Blues in the summer before eventually joining the Foxes on a free transfer from Lincoln City. Town have had the upper hand historically, winning 25 games between the sides (25 in the league), drawing 16 (15) and losing 21 (19). Earlier in the season the teams played out a 0-0 draw at Portman Road, while the most recent match at the Walkers Stadium was on Boxing Day 2007 when the Foxes won 2-0 with Richard Stearman and Patrick Kisnorbo netting the goals. Sunday’s referee is Mark Haywood from West Yorkshire, who has shown 28 yellow and two red cards in 19 games so far this season. Haywood hasn’t previously taken control of a Town game. Squad from: Lee-Barrett, Murphy, Rosenior, D Wright, Delaney, McAuley, Bruce, Balkestein, Leadbitter, Norris, Garvan, Colback, Healy, Edwards, Walters, Peters, Quinn, Martin, John, Wickham, Couñago, Priskin.
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