The latest on six Leicester City players’ fitness ahead of the final game before Christmas, with only one or two expected to return to the squad in time to face the Millers.
Jamie Vardy is still a fortnight away from returning to action, and only one or two of Leicester City’s injured players are expected to play against Rotherham.
Vardy has missed City’s previous three games due to a knee injury and is unlikely to play again until the end of the season, according to Enzo Maresca. The game against the Millers is the first of four in ten days for City, who have four games in ten days.
Dennis Praet will be available after missing the 3-2 win over Birmingham due to sickness, and Yunus Akgun may potentially make the squad after returning to training this week. Kasey McAteer and Marc Albrighton, on the other hand, are unavailable and have a similar itinerary as Vardy.
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Callum Doyle’s return to training provided another significant boost. The on-loan defender, who hasn’t been seen since undergoing knee surgery in September, returned to the team this week for the first time.
“He (Vardy) is still out and needs some weeks,” Maresca stated at a press conference on Friday afternoon. “We were expecting days, weeks.” He’s still working on it. He should be able to return in one or two weeks.
“Kasey is doing well, but he isn’t with us.” He’s not sprinting around the field. He is still recuperating. He’s like Jamie in that he needs weeks.
“Yunus is getting close; he had his first session with us yesterday.” We’ll see if we consider him for the squad tomorrow. He’s OK. Callum as well. He’s OK. His first session with us was yesterday. Dennis is well. Marc is like Jamie and Kasey in that he requires weeks.”
If Vardy’s injury persists, City may find themselves in difficulty. Kelechi Iheanacho and Patson Daka will both depart in early January to represent Nigeria and Zambia, respectively, leaving Tom Cannon as the club’s sole acknowledged senior striker, despite the fact that the £7.5m summer recruit has yet to make his debut for City.
