Leicester City will be without four first-team players for their Premier League clash against Everton on Monday evening, according to injury expert, Ben Dinnery.
Ricardo Pereira and James Justin are both long-term absentees from the Foxes’ Premier League plans and are not expected to be fit for the clash against the Toffees (Premier injuries).
Jannik Vestergaard will also miss the fixture. However, Dinnery has suggested Jonny Evans could return for Dean Smith’s side after the veteran defender missed the 1-1 draw with Leeds United on Tuesday evening through illness, having been given a 50% chance, as has full-back Ryan Bertrand.
Key pair James Maddison and Harvey Barnes had been doubts but both featured at Elland Road.
Crunch time
We’ve reached a point in the season where every single point matters and the huge relegation clashes are coming thick and fast. It feels as if it’s a five-team race to beat the drop now. Southampton, Nottingham Forest, Leicester, and Leeds are the teams Everton must worry about now.
The Saints at the foot of the table are teetering on the edge, which realistically means two of four teams will be playing Championship football come the start of the 2023/24 season. There are some huge clubs in the mix. It would be a travesty for Leeds United if they returned to the second tier after their exile from the Premier League.
Nottingham Forest is another huge club that won’t want an immediate return to the Championship. Even Leicester being relegated would be a massive shock considering they won the Premier League in the not-too-distant past.
But as the Premier League ever-presents to this point, none would be bigger than the Toffees going down.
Sean Dyche needs a run of form. Two wins on the spin would potentially be the difference and considering the off-field issues at Goodison Park, Premier League football next season is somewhat of a non-negotiable.
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Kelechi Iheanacho injury latest as Leicester City boss Dean Smith fears bad news
The striker is set to have a scan on his groin today, pulling up in the build-up to Jamie Vardy’s equalizer but still managing to play an important pass to James Maddison.
Dean Smith is fearing bad news for Leicester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho as he undergoes a scan on his groin.
The City boss admitted Iheanacho’s injury, sustained in Tuesday night’s 1-1 draw with Leeds, “didn’t look great”, with a scan set for Wednesday to reveal the extent of the issue. Smith should be able to provide the results at his press conference on Friday.
Iheanacho suffered the injury in the build-up to Jamie Vardy’s equalizer, the Nigerian gripping his groin as he ran through but still managing to thread a pass forward to James Maddison as he limped on.
Smith said in his post-match press conference at Elland Road: “He’s pulled up with his groin. Well, I say pulled up, he kept going and played it through to Madders. It didn’t look great and we’ll have it scanned tomorrow (Wednesday).”
Iheanacho had started the game as City’s lead striker, with Vardy and Patson Daka dropping to the bench. He set up good chances for Harvey Barnes and Maddison in the first half and then was twice denied by Illan Meslier in the second period.
After his injury, as he was being helped off the pitch by the City medical staff, he fired up the away fans, urging them to keep backing the team for the final 10 minutes.
If his injury is serious, it will be a blow to City and Smith. Iheanacho had scored in each of the new manager’s first two games in charge against Manchester City and Wolves and trails only Barnes and Maddison in the club’s scoring charts.
Speaking earlier in the week about his first impressions of Iheanacho, Smith said: “He really enjoys football and he cares. You could see that from his body language right from the first moment. He’s another robust character. What I’ve seen I’ve liked so far.
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