Shakespeare's Pre-Liverpool Fitness Update
- Craig Shakespeare provides an update on the fitness of four players in his squad
- Jamie Vardy will be assessed on Tuesday morning before the visit of Liverpool (7:45pm kick-off)
- Matty James and Christian Fuchs are likely to miss the first Reds encounter of two this week
- Robert Huth continues to recover quickly from an ankle problem sustained this summer
The City boss, who confirmed both are recovering well from their respective injuries, will call upon the services of Development Squad pair Josh Knight and Hamza Choudhury.
James (Achilles) and Fuchs (eye) will definitely miss the clash while England striker Jamie Vardy (tight groin) will be assessed on Friday morning before Shakespeare makes his selection.
Shakespeare On City Fitness
Foxes manager Craig Shakespeare provides an update on the fitness of his squad.
“Jamie hasn’t trained,” the City boss told the national media on Monday. “I will give him every opportunity. He has a tight groin, and that is why he came off at Huddersfield.
“He has had continuous treatment and we will give him every opportunity to be fit but he won’t be one to risk. We will assess him tomorrow [Tuesday] morning, but I am very confident he will be fit for Saturday.”
On James and Fuchs, he added: “[They] will not be included. Christian on specialist advice. He managed to train today with the team. Matty didn’t but he was able to train outside.
“I am reluctant to put a time frame on Matty. Speaking to Matty, he is frustrated but it is important he listens to the physios.
“I don’t want to put him under pressure to play through pain. The likelihood is he might be okay for Saturday but we don’t want to put him under pressure.
“Fuchs is being given more time and should be fine for Saturday.”
The first visit of the Reds in a week is likely to come too soon for Robert Huth, too, after the German centre back continues his recovery from ankle surgery this summer.
Shakespeare added: “Huth is missing. We are managing him at the moment. He was way ahead of schedule after the operation and he had a good start to his recovery but we are being careful with him with the physio’s advice.
“We will bring two young lads in. Josh Knight, who has been involved before, and Hamza Choudhury will both be involved in the squad.”