Image source, Getty ImagesNone of the past 11 meetings between Leicester and QPR in all competitions have been drawn, with the Foxes winning six times to QPR's five.
The London side were victorious in the most recent such meeting, winning 2-1 at King Power Stadium in the Championship last season.
About a third of the way through the January transfer window, Leicester are yet to make any new signings.
Speaking to BBC Radio Leicester's When You're Smiling Podcast, Daily Mail football reporter Tom Collomosse put forward a possible reason why the Foxes might be taking a cautious approach this month.
"I think there's something else happening here with the possibility of PSR charges," Collomosse said. "Leicester won't want to do anything to annoy the people who are going to decide if they will be charged or not.
"I know that the accounts that the Premier League are looking at are not related to the accounts period that they are in now - but if the Premier League are looking at your accounts and you suddenly sign someone for £15m pounds, it could look like they are taking the mick.
"I think that this will be certainly be playing a part in Leicester's caution here. Maybe if there is a verdict at the start of next week, we might see things become a little bit clearer in the transfer market."
Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds
On the latest episode of BBC Radio Leicester's When You're Smiling podcast, profit and sustainability rules are the key topic of discussion.
The January transfer window is open, so potential incomings and outgoings at the King Power Stadium are very much on the agenda.
Owynn Palmer-Atkin is joined by Michael Appleton and the Daily Mail's Tom Collomosse in the latest episode, discussing whether Leicester should be worried about PSR, and how that may affect their dealings this month.
Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds
Holly Bacon
BBC Sport journalist
Leicester City boss Ruud van Nistelrooy has been speaking to the media before Saturday's FA Cup game against QPR (kick-off 14:00 GMT).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
There are no fresh injury concerns; Kasey McAteer is "back in full team training and if he can continue that, he could be available for the game." Jannik Vestergaard is doubtful, while there is "no update" on injured goalkeeper Mads Hermansen who will be "out for a bit longer".
On whether Leicester are close to signings in January: "We're in the middle of the process. It's clear what we want and where we want to strengthen. We're working on that day and night. I see the importance of it. I also feel a strong responsibility to get the right players in, in the right positions, where I feel it's important for the squad and for the club in the long term. It's a delicate process. It takes time. It requires a lot of effort and work to bring in the right players."
On the type of players they want to recruit: "What I've tried to do here with the coaching staff has been to create a style of play and players who fit into that are the profiles that can make our play better and can get us to better results. Those are the profiles we have been talking about with recruitment and also with the people responsible for signing these players. That has all been cleared and done, then the search began. It started in mid-December, right when I came in, and hopefully we can present something soon but it has to be the right thing."
Van Nistelrooy said he is a "proud winner" of the FA Cup: "I know how much it meant to me to win it with Manchester United. The games you play, tough games, now there are no replays, straight into penalties but it's a fantastic tournament to be a part in. It's important to take it very seriously. We plan to win every game we approach but we have to look at the condensed schedule, what is important and resting players or players with little injuries. That won't change, we'll keep doing that. Of course we have to say the Premier League games for this club are vital."
On team selection: "We'll address the squad over the coming days. It's important to keep our development going. We want to break the current run of defeats. We want to do well, play well and gain confidence. Those are all parts I'm thinking about and then I'll make decisions about selection."
Van Nistelrooy said QPR's upturn in form in the Championship is a "great example of how things can turn around when you keep working and doing what you believe in".
Follow Thursday's news conferences and the rest of the day's football news
The latest When You're Smiling podcast has landed.
BBC Radio Leicester's Owynn Palmer-Atkin and former Foxes winger Matt Piper are joined by a fan to reflect on the defeat by Aston Villa.
Plus they discuss how to remove individual errors in the team and whether Ruud van Nistelrooy can find a Robert Huth-style player in the January transfer window to tighten the defence.
Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds
Kate Blakemore
Fan writer
Image source, PA MediaConsecutive fixtures of Liverpool, Manchester City and Aston Villa would see most teams struggle to pick up points. Add a relegation scrap into the mix and the likelihood of points becomes even lower.
However, after taking the lead at Anfield and going toe to toe with City in what was arguably our best performance of the season, I think most fans felt reasonably confident something could be obtained at Villa Park.
However, when you are struggling for form and confidence, and individual errors are becoming an unwanted appearance in your repertoire, things never go quite to plan.
The booing of players has become a talking point for the second time in a month for the Foxes - not what you want to see when you are fighting for your lives. Fans can be the 12th man and often galvanise the team; something Leicester desperately need right now.
The profit and sustainability rumour mill has started once again with the submission of our latest accounts, but we must remain focused on the task at hand - 17th place or above by securing as many points as possible. Avoiding relegation may just keep those salivating PSR wolves at bay, but who knows?
Ruud van Nistelrooy's Rome was not built in a day, but it also was not built without the tools of new personnel to refresh the squad. The January window is a tricky time to do this, with few players wanting to move and even fewer players wanting a part in a relegation scrap, not to mention a premium surge for those 'panic buys'.
Leicester never do things the easy way, but in the last few games we are seeing some better play. We just have to hope any reinforcements are quick to arrive, hit the ground running and make an immediate impact as the race for survival intensifies.
Find more from Kate Blakemore at Leicester Till I Die, external
Chris Collinson
BBC Sport statistician
Image source, Getty ImagesThere is still a way to go, but it is looking a remarkably similar story for the three promoted sides this season as it was last season.
Ipswich, Leicester and Southampton have taken just 35 points from 59 games between them – the exact same amount of points Luton, Burnley and Sheffield United had on this day last year who ended up being the worst promoted trio in PL history.
Southampton being the worst-side ever at this stage does not help, but it is uncanny how similar not just points total is, but also how similar their goal differences are to last year's trio.
Image source, Getty ImagesWe asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Aston Villa and Leicester City.
Here are some of your comments:
Villa fans
Sam: Much better in the second half! It's encouraging to see players like Emi Buendia back on the pitch with Tyrone Mings also coming into form. Our challenge is to try and ensure consistency across the 90 minutes, but to be four points off fourth is a sign of how far Unai Emery has taken us. Let's hope this encourages some of our fans to be more positive.
Alex: It will do, considering we are missing some of our key players like Morgan Rogers, Jhon Duran and Pau Torres. A massive goal for Bailey, he desperately needed that. Barkley with an incredible performance and finish! A good three points to get back on track and start 2025.
Jay: Very laboured and we should have put them out of sight before they scored. Villa's second string are not looking strong or creative again. I'm particularly upset about no clean sheet again. There was a poor lay-off from Ollie Watkins - just to add to his bad finishing - and then Matty Cash compounded his own bad game by not charging at Stephy Mavididi.
Cassie: Deserved win but Villa still need a striker to put the ball in the back of the net. Mings showed his class today, just like Ross Barkley. At times, Villa showed too much lack of desire to finish off the game. I don't think Emery knows who his best 11 players are.
Leicester fans
James: A lack of quality in the attacking third, specifically Mavididi, and a costly mistake at the back by James Justin resulted in another defeat. The rot has now carried through into another year. A new right-back, winger and striker are urgently needed in January, otherwise the Championship and the dark abyss beckons.
JB: There has got to be a message sent out to players that if you can't safely play the ball out of the back, clear it upfield! You give up potential possession but alleviate the chances of losing the ball in your box and conceding a possible goal, hence the second goal. Going down it seems and we won't be straight back up either. Perhaps just as well. We need a complete rebuild, including the manager and maybe new owners. It appears to have grown stale. Keep the faith.
Paul: Same old! Justin needs to be taken out of the firing line. The amount of goals that come down our right side is embarrassing.
Tony: Five losses in a row. This is beyond a joke. I thought the idea of a new manager was to improve?
Ben Mundy
Final Score reporter at Villa Park
Image source, Getty ImagesOn face value, Saturday's result at Villa Park went with form.
Aston Villa extended their unbeaten home run in the Premier League to 10 games, while Leicester City succumbed to their fifth straight defeat.
But after the game, as I sat in the bumper-kissing traffic waiting to get on to the M6, I couldn't help but feel a little sorry for the Foxes.
They played well in large parts but just lacked a clear cutting edge. And yes I know Jamie Vardy was playing, but he barely touched the ball in the first half.
If Ruud van Nistelrooy's side are to avoid the drop, they will need more than a solitary goal threat.
Leicester and their manager almost executed the perfect gameplan. Sitting in and defending the edge of their box in the first half, emerging a minute earlier than Villa after half-time and starting the second period on the front foot.
But defensive frailties, notably tackling and clearing lines, proved their undoing.
If - and it is a big if - they can find the goals and fix those frailties, Leicester might just have enough to stay up. They clearly have a manager with a plan.
Aston Villa certainly do as well. There was no panic from Unai Emery on Saturday. He cut the coolest person inside Villa Park, despite having to wait an hour for an opening goal.
Striker Ollie Watkins told me before the game that he wanted Villa's 2025 to be a continuation of their 2024 exploits.
On this evidence, his New Year's resolution will be achieved.
Image source, Getty ImagesFormer Leicester City goalkeeping coach Mike Stowell says Ruud van Nistelrooy's side need to stamp out their "individual errors" if they want to stay in the Premier League.
Speaking on BBC Radio Leicester's When You're Smiling podcast after the Foxes were beaten 2-1 at Aston Villa - a fifth straight defeat - Stowell said: "You absolutely can't gift goals to other teams.
"Leicester played for 94 minutes at a really decent level, yet two individual moments cost them and that won't be good enough to stay in the Premier League, if it continues.
"It is the team that holds their nerve most [that are going to survive relegation]. You have got to scrap and pick up points.
"Sometimes you can't come to Villa Park, play brilliantly and get three points - but you can come here, be dogged in a scruffy game and pick up one point.
"It is a tally to get to that magical 36 or 37 points, which will keep you in the league, but that is another game struck off now.
"There are now 18 games to get themselves another 22 points."
Gary Lineker introduces highlights and analysis from Saturday's seven Premier League fixtures.
If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.
Listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:
Image source, Getty ImagesLeicester City boss Ruud van Nistelrooy has been speaking to Match of the Day following the defeat at Villa Park: "We were on course to get something out of this game. The first goal was a corner in the second-phase shot. The second goal, we lost the ball ourselves in a place where we shouldn't.
"Overall, we controlled the game and didn't give big chances away. That is why it is disappointing we didn't take anything from this game.
"It was a difficult one, but we have to make sure we get these performances and convert them into points as well.
"We knew from last week against Manchester City that we were in the game and pushing for points. In that sense, if we can maintain the level then we should convert it into points."
Image source, Getty ImagesLeicester City have lost five successive Premier League games for the first time since September 2022 (6), keeping just one clean sheet in their last 21 matches in the competition (a 1-0 win v Bournemouth in October).
Charlotte Coates
BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty ImagesRuud Van Nistelrooy got off to a dream start as Leicester boss when they picked up a 3-1 win at home to West Ham before coming from 2-0 down to take a superb point against Brighton.
Since those two games, it has all been downhill for the Dutchman as they slumped to their fifth loss on the spin in the Premier League.
Van Nistelrooy has attempted to sure up his Leicester defence but that has come at the expense of some attacking flair while still conceding 14 goals in their last five games.
Jamie Vardy was starved of service at Villa Park and was often up front on his own and was given no support when pressing the Villa backline.
Van Nistelrooy seems to be searching for answers for a way in which he can stop his side conceding while also proving a threat in attack.
With the second half of the season now under way, Leicester need to pick up points and pick them up fast if they are to avoid another campaign in the Championship next year.
Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?
Aston Villa fans, what did you make of the performance?
Leicester fans - let us know your thoughts
Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies
There are seven games in the Premier League on Saturday, and we will bring you every moment.
Tottenham v Newcastle (12:30)
Aston Villa v Leicester
Bournemouth v Everton
Crystal Palace v Chelsea - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live
Man City v West Ham
Southampton v Brentford
Brighton v Arsenal (17:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live
Kick-off times 15:00 GMT unless stated
Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League games this season, against a variety of guests.
For week 20, he takes on The Zutons frontman Dave McCabe, who supports Liverpool.
Sutton's prediction: 2-0
Aston Villa will be kicking themselves after conceding a late equaliser against Brighton.
I don't see Villa slipping up here, though, even without suspended duo Jhon Duran and Morgan Rogers. Ollie Watkins will lead the line for them again - he has the jersey and will be looking to show why he should keep it when Duran is back from his ban.
Villa are strong at home while Leicester's away form is poor, with only one win and two draws from nine games on the road. They are in a relegation scrap and they are going to struggle to stay up.
The Foxes played pretty well against Manchester City last time out, and missed some good chances, but they still lost,
That defeat was their fourth in a row, and I am expecting Villa to make it five.
McCabe's prediction: 0-2
I am not sure about this one. There is a bit of a Midlands rivalry there, and I reckon Leicester might surprise a few people.
As we enter a new calendar year and the halfway point of the season, the Opta Supercomputer has been busy making its predictions.
But who is looking most likely to be playing their football outside the top flight next season?
It is bad news for fans of the teams who made their return to the Premier League this campaign.
According to the Opta Supercomputer's simulations, Southampton - rooted to the bottom of the table on just six points - are all but guaranteed to be playing Championship football again next term with a 99.47% chance of being relegated.
The picture is also not a rosy one for Leicester City and Ipswich Town supporters, who occupy the other two relegation spots. The Supercomputer does not see too much change there - the Foxes and the Tractor Boys having a 74.61% and 70.81% chance of relegation respectively.
It is better news for Wolves under new head coach Vitor Pereira, with Wanderers now having only a 39.21% chance of a Championship return, while Everton fans will be pleased to see they have just a 12.52% chance as they hope to see Premier League football in their new stadium next season.
Crystal Palace, West Ham and Brentford can all breathe easier with Opta predicting just a 1.68%, 0.81% and 0.72% chance of relegation respectively.
And what about Manchester United after new boss Ruben Amorim declared them to be facing a relegation battle? Well, it is good news for Red Devils fans as the chance of them actually playing Championship football next campaign is just 0.11%.
Image source, Getty ImagesFormer Leicester City defender Matt Heath says the January transfer window "is going to be make or break" for the Foxes as they face the second half of the season battling relegation.
Speaking on BBC Radio Leicester's When You're Smiling podcast, Heath said: "We have got ourselves into a position where we are not too far away from safety, so a couple of good additions to the squad could be just what is needed to push Leicester over the line."
Foxes' boss Ruud van Nistelrooy said on Thursday that his team "needs help and improvement" and his plans are "aligned" with the owners. He did, however, refuse to comment on which areas of the pitch he hopes to strengthen.
"Van Nistelrooy doesn't want to speak about targets out loud, which is fair enough, as that poses a risk of people nabbing our targets or there being upset within the squad," Heath said.
"We need an attacking winger with a bit of pace and directness because we have lost Abdul Fatawu for the rest of the season.
"We need a little bit of quality and someone with a bit more experience. It needs to be someone who can go into the starting XI rather than just a squad player.
"I look at Crystal Palace, Everton and Wolves, who are around us and they do all have a couple of talismanic players - for example, Eberechi Eze and Dwight McNeil. We lack that one person who can be our creative talisman."
Image source, Getty ImagesFollowing their 2-1 win at King Power Stadium in August, Aston Villa are looking to complete their first league double over Leicester since 2003-04.
