Jamie Vardy hails Leicester City's response to 'tough' time ahead of Leeds United test

The Foxes approached Thursday night's Europa League tie against AEK Athens in Greece with Wilfred Ndidi and Caglar Soyuncu both sidelined following serious adductor injuries and with Ricardo Pereira still on the comeback trail from a cruciate ligament injury.

Star striker Vardy has also been experiencing a calf issue and Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers then revealed shortly before the kick-off against Athens that Belgian international full-back Timothy Castagne and Northern Ireland international centre-back Jonny Evans had also picked up injuries.

The duo both played the full match of Sunday's 1-0 victory at Arsenal but Evans picked up a back problem after landing awkwardly whilst Castagne has twinged his hamstring and Rodgers has already said that Castagne is now likely to be out until after the international break.

Leicester, though, with Vardy starting and playing 70 minutes, still recorded a 2-1 victory against AEK Athens on Thursday - five days after Vardy had come off the bench to bag the only goal of the game in Sunday's 1-0 triumph at Premier League hosts Arsenal.

Despite the spate of injuries, it means that Leicester sit top of their Europa League group and also third in the Premier League table and just one point off top spot ahead of Monday's clash at sixth-placed Leeds.

"It's tough," said Vardy, asked by BT Sport about the club's injuries.

"We've not got the biggest squad.

"But like you have seen from our performances in the league last week and then tonight, we are picking up wins, we are playing well, keeping that close knit togetherness and it shows by seeing games out like that."

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Thank you Laura Collins