Leicester City vs. Liverpool: Team News, Preview, Live Stream and TV Info

Leicester City will play their first match without former manager Claudio Ranieri on Monday, as last year's Premier League champions welcome Liverpool to the King Power Stadium.

Ranieri was sacked on Thursday in a move that sent shockwaves through the football world, with Craig Shakespeare now set to go into Monday's match as caretaker manager.

As shared by PAdugout (via HLN's Kristof Terreur), the Italian said goodbye to the organisation with a classy statement:

There's little time to mourn, however, as the Foxes still face a battle to avoid the drop. That starts on Monday against a talented Liverpool team needing a win to stay in the race for a top-four finish.

Date: Monday, February 27

Time: 8 p.m. GMT/3 p.m. ET

Venue: King Power Stadium, Leicester

TV Info: Sky Sports 1 (UK), NBC Sports (U.S.)

Live Stream: Sky Go app, NBC Live

Team News

According to the Press Association (for the Daily Mail), Islam Slimani remains a doubt for the hosts, although he was able to train during the week. He and Leonardo Ulloa are the biggest question marks.

Liverpool are likely to be without star defender Dejan Lovren, who has missed the last couple of matches and travelled to Germany for an expert opinion on his knee injury, per the report. Daniel Sturridge hasn't fully recovered from his virus yet.

Possible Leicester XI: Kasper Schmeichel, Christian Fuchs, Wes Morgan, Robert Huth, Danny Simpson, Demarai Gray, Wilfred Ndidi, Danny Drinkwater, Riyad Mahrez, Jamie Vardy, Shinji Okazaki

Possible Liverpool XI: Simon Mignolet, James Milner, Joel Matip, Lucas Leiva, Nathaniel Clyne, Adam Lallana, Jordan Henderson, Georginio Wijnaldum, Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane

Preview

Monday's clash will perhaps be overshadowed by the absence of Ranieri, the man who guided the Foxes to the biggest sporting success in the club's history last season.

The decision to part ways was a controversial one, with plenty of people on both sides of the issue. Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp didn't hide his opinion, as shared by former England international Gary Lineker:

There's a match to be played on Monday, however, and after five straight defeats in the Premier League, the Foxes are desperate for a result.

Liverpool haven't been in great form, halting a lengthy winless streak in Week 25 of the season, but the Reds have far superior firepower in attack, and the return of Sadio Mane from the Africa Cup of Nations has boosted the squad.

PAUL ELLIS/Getty Images

There's no telling how the fans will react on Monday. Ranieri was very popular, and there are plenty of rumours suggesting a player revolt was behind the sacking, per BBC Sport. As shared by Rob Harris of the Associated Press, the total silence of the players after Ranieri was let go was telling:

A change of manager often has an immediate impact, but the controversy surrounding this particular departure and the likely hostile atmosphere inside the King Power Stadium on Monday swings the pendulum Liverpool's way.

Prediction: Leicester 0-3 Liverpool