RODGERS: FOXES LACKING BITE

LEICESTER face a striker crisis going into European battle.

The Foxes set out on the Europa League trail against Ukrainian outfit Zorya Luhansk tonight with star marksman Jamie Vardy ruled out with a calf injury.

It leaves them with only one recognised forward – Kelechi Iheanacho – to call on because Islam Slimani wasn’t registered for the competition. The £ 28million Algerian looked certain to be leaving in the summer and wasn’t named in Leicester’s Europa League squad. Manager Brendan Rodgers said: “The squad had to be handed in much earlier and unfortunately we were thinking he wasn’t going to be here.

“Jamie is a huge miss but we have to work with what we’ve got.

We just have to find ways around it.” Rodgers ( with midfielder James Maddison, below) is expecting a tough game against the underdogs of the group. He added: “In Europe you are up against top teams from their country so all games can prove difficult.

“We want to give it our best shot and go as far as we can. Stripping it right back, the first job is to get out of the group stages as quickly as possible.”

Key defender Caglar Soyuncu is out with an abductor muscle tear that could sideline him for three months.

But fellow centre- back Jonny Evans gave Rodgers something to smile about by revealing he has no intention of leaving the King Power. The 32- year- old Northern Ireland defender, out of contract at the end of the season, said: “I have really enjoyed my time here.

“If the option becomes available for me to stay, I’m sure it’s one I would take. If we can come to an agreement I’m sure it won’t be a problem.”

LIKELY LINE- UP

LEICESTER CITY: Schmeichel, Justin, Evans, Fofana, Castagne, Mendy, Barnes, Choudhury, Tielemans, Maddison, Iheanacho