Enzo Maresca has given an update on the fitness of Kasey McAteer and suggested he will miss quite a while.
Leicester will host Preston at the King Power tonight in Championship action at the top of the table.
Second against third with so much on the line for both, a Leicester win moves them back into first and seven points clear of Preston.
While a win for the visitors would move them two points from top and just a point behind Leicester.
Leicester therefore face a must win game which could put them in a really good position.
However if Leicester are to win, they will have to do so without their top scorer, Kasey McAteer.
Maresca gives update on McAteer
Speaking in his pre-game press conference, Maresca has given an update on McAteer’s fitness status.
“It will be between four and six weeks,” Maresca told reporters at Seagrave on Tuesday, concerning McAteer’s injury.
“We still have more games to play but [the fixture schedule] is what it is. It’s the same situation for all the clubs. It’s not easy to find a solution because the schedule is what it is.
“We can try to adapt and make a rotation, but you need to balance whether you lose quality and take no injuries, or have more quality and risk some injuries.”
The Italian also paid tribute to McAteer’s early-season form, before saying the youngster can use this time out to recover from the rigours of the Championship campaign so far.
“We are unhappy because he was doing very well,” he said. “He is a great guy, he’s happy and hungry so it’s a shame. It’s just for six weeks. It’s probably a good time for him to have some rest, but it will be good to have him back.”