Burton Albion vs Leicester

The match — originally scheduled as four 30-minute quarters — reverted to a conventional 90-minute format after discussions between the coaching staffs. Leicester dominated from the first whistle, with Oliver Skipp anchoring midfield and Sammy Braybrooke pulling the strings behind the front line.

Stephy Mavididi came closest in the opening 20 minutes, forcing Burton goalkeeper Corey Addai into a sharp save from a free-kick. The only card of the game arrived inside three minutes when Burton left-back Jack Armer was booked for a late challenge on Alves — a rare sight in pre-season that underlined the challenge's severity.

Leicester's pressure finally told in first-half stoppage time. Bade Aluko drove into the box and forced a low effort that Addai could only parry, and Kirsten Otchere bundled home the rebound to make it 1-0 in the 45+3rd minute (48th minute on the clock).

Martin reshuffled at half-time, introducing four changes including Fran Vieites in goal, Hamza Choudhury, Jayden Joseph and Nathan Opoku. The second half followed a similar pattern — Leicester controlling possession and creating chances. Mavididi squandered a clear opportunity to double the lead on 50 minutes, slamming wide after a driving run.

Will Alves produced the game's best moment on 65 minutes. A flowing team move involving Mavididi, Braybrooke and Opoku ended with Alves receiving the ball on the edge of the box and despatching a crisp finish past the Burton trialist goalkeeper. Braybrooke's assist was the pick of the build-up — a perfectly weighted pass that opened the Burton defence.

Martin then made seven more substitutions on 68 minutes, introducing an entirely different XI including Wout Faes, Caleb Okoli, Stephy Mavididi and Riley Carr. The final goal arrived on 80 minutes when Riley Carr kept the ball alive down the right flank and pulled it back for Nathan Opoku, who took a touch under pressure and slid a left-footed finish into the centre of the goal.

Hamza Choudhury was forced off through injury in the 88th minute, replaced by Ryan Donnelly. Five minutes of stoppage time yielded no further goals.

Otchere's scrappy stoppage-time opener was the breakthrough Leicester's dominance deserved, but the game's decisive moment came earlier — the yellow card for Armer after three minutes. It set the tone that Burton would need to be aggressive to contain the Foxes, and the early booking limited Armer's ability to compete physically for the remainder of the half, giving Alves and Aluko space to operate on Leicester's right flank.

• Will Alves (Leicester) — ★★★★★ A goal and a constant threat in the final third. His 65th-minute finish was the highlight of the match: a composed, clinical strike from the edge of the box after a flowing team move. The 21-year-old continues to state his case for a starting role in League One.

• Sammy Braybrooke (Leicester) — Dictated the tempo from midfield and provided the key assist for Alves' goal. His range of passing and ability to receive under pressure made him Leicester's most influential midfielder across his 68 minutes on the pitch.

• Kirsten Otchere (Leicester) — Scored his second pre-season goal in as many games with a poacher's finish from close range. The striker's movement and willingness to arrive in the six-yard box caused problems throughout.

• Nathan Opoku (Leicester) — Capped another lively display with a well-taken 80th-minute goal, his second in pre-season. His link-up play with Carr and Alves was the standout combination of the second half.

The provider data shows Leicester dominated the shot count and created the clearer chances across all three phases of the game. The 3-0 scoreline accurately reflects the balance of play — Burton failed to register a shot on target, while Leicester's xG would have comfortably exceeded the three goals they scored. The 14 substitutions made by Burton and 12 by Leicester are standard for pre-season, but Martin's approach of fielding two entirely different XIs (one per half, broadly) gave him a full assessment of his squad. The single yellow card (Armer, 3') underscores the friendly nature of the contest once the early flashpoint subsided.

Leicester City have now won all three pre-season friendlies — a 4-0 victory over Northampton Town (8 July), a 2-1 win at Bristol Rovers (14 July), and this 3-0 success at Burton. Martin's side travels to Spain next week for a warm-weather training camp, with friendlies scheduled against Cádiz (22 July) and another opponent to be confirmed. The League One campaign begins at home to Notts County on 15 August.

Burton Albion, meanwhile, continue their own pre-season preparations ahead of the 2026-27 League One season. New signings Conor Chaplin and Alex McCarthy trained with Leicester this week but were not involved in the matchday squad.

A controlled, professional pre-season display from Leicester City. Martin's tactical identity — high pressing, quick transitions, and midfield dominance — is already visible after just three weeks of work. The depth of the squad, particularly the quality of the younger players, bodes well for a long League One campaign. Burton offered little in attack but will take value from the competitive minutes against a side with superior resources.