Leicester City will be without key defender Callum Doyle for up to four months in a big blow ahead of facing Blackburn Rovers.
Jon Dahl Tomasson's side have injury issues of their own having added Harry Leonard to their extensive list. In attack, Sam Gallagher, Ryan Hedges and Niall Ennis are already unavailable with Tyrhys Dolan's illness still being assessed.
The Foxes will be without Doyle after he sustained a knee injury against Bristol City. The left-sided defender, on loan from Manchester City, has been a key player for the Championship league leaders, playing as a left-back out-of-possession but becoming a third centre-back when Leicester have the ball.
Like Rovers, they like to move a full-back, usually Ricardo Pereira, into midfield to create an overload. Doyle's injury means they don't have a naturally left-footed option to play at full-back which is a big blow.
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“It will be between 12 and 16 weeks,” Manager Enzo Maresca said on Doyle. “I said in the press conference before Liverpool that he is the only player, being left-footed… We have been unlucky.
“We have Wilfred and Cesare, Kiernan and Yunus, Jamie and Kele, Abdul, Macca, Stephy, Marc, many wingers, but in that position, he was the only one, so we have been unlucky.
£We will try to find a solution. Against Liverpool, JJ did very well, the same against Bristol City. He could be a solution.”
Experienced defender Conor Coady came into the team for the Carabao Cup tie against Liverpool in midweek having missed the start of the season through injury.
The England international made the switch from Wolves in the summer and will offer Maresca's side experience at the heart of their defence. He could be in line for a second start this week against Rovers.
“He did a fantastic game,” Maresca added on Coady. “He did a game exactly the way we expected. We know him very well and what he can give us. We are happy with how he performed.
“At the same time, it was his first game after two months. We are happy because we have one more player who can help us.”
It should be a fascinating game on Sunday with two teams that like to be unique tactically. There are similarities in style, with both teams starting with a 4-3-3 but building up in a 3-2-5 shape.
Rovers have used Joe Rankin-Costello in that position and whilst Callum Brittain has done it at times, it has been less frequent. The latter is likely to keep his place at right-back having been a contender for player-of-the-month with his performances in September.
Maresca has been impressed with Tomasson's side, who have generated the highest expected goals for and against in September. That again underlines the chaotic, attacking approach that Rovers are adopting.
“Every time I watch the opponent, I always end thinking they are a good team," he said. "They have been unlucky, they deserve some more points.
"They move a lot. Off the ball, they are aggressive, they are man to man."
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