'Trying to adapt' - Leicester boss admits key absence vs Leeds United is a blow in new injury update

Leicester's midfield lynchpin has been absent for a number of fixtures and remains unavailable to his Italian coach for one of the biggest games of this Championship season. Maresca acknowledges it will be difficult to compensate for the missing Nigerian especially since losing Chelsea loanee Cesare Casadei who was recalled by the West London club in January.

“Ben [Nelson] is back," Maresca told reporters on Thursday afternoon. "The only one at the moment is Wilf. He’s still injured.

“[Kelechi] Iheanacho’s available, yes. As we said, one of our best positions is Wilf and then we lost Cesare. We are trying to adapt. Unfortunately Wilf is still injured.”

The 27-year-old has four goals and six assists in all competitions for the league leaders this term but has not made an appearance in 2024 due to injury. In that time, Leicester have won five but also lost to Middlesbrough and Coventry City, as well as being held to a 1-1 draw by Ipswich Town.

Leicester have won 18 of their 21 Championship outings with Ndidi in the team this season, drawing twice and losing just one with him in the side, against Hull City at the beginning of the campaign.

"Will Alves, [too] after the Under-21 game, he got a muscle problem..

“They said to me [on Alves], three or four weeks. I don’t know [what the specific issue is]," Maresca added, rounding off the Foxes' latest injury update.