A major setback before playing Blackburn Rovers is that Callum Doyle, a crucial defender for Leicester City, could be sidelined for up to four months.
The team of Jon Dahl Tomasson has a long list of injuries, and Harry Leonard has been added to that list. While Tyrhys Dolan’s condition is still being evaluated, Sam Gallagher, Ryan Hedges, and Niall Ennis are already unavailable for the attack.
Doyle will not be available for the Foxes due to a knee injury he suffered against Bristol City. The left-sided defender, who is on loan from Manchester City, has been a crucial member of the Championship league’s top defense when Leicester has the ball. He plays as a left-back when not in control of the ball but switches to a third center-back when they do.
Doyle’s injury means they don’t have a naturally left-footed option to play at full-back, which is a huge setback because they like to bring a full-back, usually Ricardo Pereira, into midfield to create an overload.
Doyle’s recovery period will last between 12 and 16 weeks, according to manager Enzo Maresca. “We have been unlucky,” he added. “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. £We will try to find a solution. Against Liverpool, JJ did very well, the same against Bristol City.
Conor Coady, an experienced defender, was inserted into the lineup for the Carabao Cup match against Liverpool midweek after missing the beginning of the season due to injury.
The summer transfer of the England international from Wolves will provide Maresca’s team experience in the middle of their defense. He might have a second chance to start this week’s game versus Rovers.
Regarding Coady, Maresca remarked, “He did a fantastic game.” He performed a game exactly as we had anticipated. We are well familiar with him and what he can offer. We are pleased with his performance.
It was also his first game in more than two months. We are pleased to have an additional player that can support us.
With two clubs that enjoy being unconventional tactically, the encounter on Sunday could be exciting. Both teams start with a 4-3-3 configuration but develop into a 3-2-5 shape as they play, showing parallels in their playing styles.
Joe Rankin-Costello has been the player utilized in that position by Rovers; Callum Brittain has also played there, but less frequently. The latter is expected to keep his spot at right-back after his exploits in September made him a contender for player-of-the-month.
Tomasson’s team has produced the greatest projected goals for and against in September, and Maresca has been impressed. This emphasizes once more the haphazard, offensive strategy Rovers is using.
He remarked, “Every time I watch the opponent, I always come to the conclusion that they are a good team. They deserved more points because they were unlucky.
They frequently move. They are aggressive when the ball is off and play man to man.
