Leeds United promotion rivals see duo ruled out ahead of pivotal Championship weekend

Leicester City will be without Kasey McAteer and Harry Souttar this weekend, manager Enzo Maresca has confirmed. The Foxes returned to winning ways on Easter Monday as they saw off Norwich City at the King Power Stadium and they'll be keen to build on that this weekend as they host Birmingham City.

Leicester are third in the Championship table at present, one point behind Leeds United and two short of league leaders Ipswich Town, but if results go their way this weekend a result could send them back to the second tier summit. However, if they are to keep the pressure up on the top two they will have to do so without McAteer, who has bagged five goals in 20 appearances for the club this season.

The academy product has been struggling with a hamstring injury but he isn't ready to make a return to action just yet as the Foxes prepare to make a push for promotion over their final seven games.

Leicester will also be without Souttar, who picked up an issue while representing Australia last month, but the defender has struggled for game time this season.

“It’s just Kasey who is out and Harry Souttar who came back from international duty with a small problem," Maresca said. "The rest, they are all available.

“We just need to wait day by day (on McAteer). He’s much better now. Hopefully in one or two weeks, he can be back.”

Leicester have a busy few days after this Saturday's clash against Birmingham with a trip to Millwall on Tuesday being followed by an away game at Plymouth Argyle next Friday night. They do have a game in hand on their promotion rivals, too, with their rearranged clash with fourth placed Southampton, who currently sit 12 points off the automatic promotion pace, due to played on home soil on April 23.