Leicester City will be without crucial defender
for up to four months, a major blow ahead of their match against Blackburn Rovers.
Jon Dahl Tomasson’s team is also dealing with injuries, having added Harry Leonard to their long list. In the attack, Sam Gallagher, Ryan Hedges, and Niall Ennis are already unavailable, and Tyrhys Dolan’s illness is still being evaluated.
Doyle will miss the game against Bristol City due to a knee injury. The left-sided defender, on loan from Manchester City, has been a significant player for the Championship league leaders, playing as a left-back out of possession but morphing into a third center-back when Leicester has 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.
“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 employed Joe Rankin-Costello in that position on occasion, and Callum Brittain has done so on occasion. The latter is set to keep his right-back spot after being a contender for player-of-the-month in September.
Maresca has been impressed by Tomasson’s team, which has produced the most predicted goals for and against in September. This demonstrates Rovers’ wild, attacking approach once more.
“Every time I watch the opponent, I always end thinking they are a good team,” he stated. “They’ve been unlucky, and they deserve more points.”
“They move quickly. They are aggressive and man to man off the ball.”
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