Foxes and Seagulls can both clinch home victories in big Monday night battles

Stephy Mavididi is in hot form for the Foxes (Picture: Getty Images)

Championship leaders Leicester can show they are ready to return to English football’s top table by turning on the style at the start of a huge week of league and cup action.

The Foxes entertain fellow automatic promotion candidates Ipswich in what promises to be an entertaining tussle at the King Power Stadium.

It takes top billing despite going head-to-head with the Premier League tussle between Brighton and Wolves at the Amex Stadium.

Leicester lost for the first time in 12 matches last weekend when they were beaten 3-1 at Coventry, allowing the Tractor Boys to close the gap at the top when they ended a winless run of four draws and a defeat by beating Sunderland 2-1 at Portman Road.

Manager Kieran McKenna has done a splendid job with the Suffolk club after gaining promotion from League One last season and Conor Chaplin is a threat to any defence at this level after scoring nine goals this term.

But Ipswich need to return home with at least a point after dropping to third on goal difference after Southampton beat Swansea on Saturday and the Foxes must be fancied after winning 11 of 13 home games this season while scoring 27 and conceding just seven.

Leicester are big at 10/11 with Betway and Betfred and Stephy Mavididi, who has scored six of his nine goals this season in his last eight appearances, is 6/1 with Sky Bet to break the deadlock and 21/10 with Betfair and Paddy Power to hit the net at any time.

Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi can win the tactical battle with Wolves counterpart Gary O’Neil (Picture: Getty Images)

Wolves can climb above Brighton into eighth place, just one point behind Manchester United, if they enjoy a big win by the seaside but the Seagulls are fancied for a victory which will send them above West Ham, who are currently sixth.

Wolves are in good nick after three straight league wins but struggle to keep clean sheets away from Molineux and, with top scorer Hwang Hee-Chan on international duty with South Korea and a huge FA Cup fourth-round derby at West Brom looming on Sunday, they may succumb to the hosts.

Brighton are 4/6 with Betway and are worth sticking in a 2/1 double with Leicester while Joao Pedro is 27/5 with BetUK and Unibet to open the scoring and 37/20 with the same firms to hit his eighth goal this term at any time.

• Ivory Coast were poor when they lost 1-0 to Nigeria in their last Africa Cup of Nations match and may have to settle for a point against Equatorial Guinea, who have taken four points from six. Take the draw at 7/2 with Betfair.

• Novak Djokovic can cruise towards an 11th Australian Open title by beating American Taylor Fritz by three sets to one in their quarter-final showdown in Melbourne at 5/2 with Betway and Sky Bet.