BRAIN BOX-TO-BOX
Rodgers warns his Foxes to keep close eye on cunning Villa star Ja a man who can outwit any opponent
LEICESTER v ASTON VILLA BRENDAN RODGERS has warned his Leicester City side to beware of footballing brainbox Jack Grealish.
The Aston Villa midfielder has been one of football’s big talking points after his impressive full England debut against Wales.
Grealish turned in a man-ofthematch display before controversially being left out of the Three Lions’ next two games in the Nations League.
Rodgers prepares his injuryravaged side for a clash with a Villa team who sit second in the table after a three-match winning start.
Leicester are just one place behind them and Rodgers reckons Villa getting Grealish
on a long-term deal and his club getting James Maddison tied down were two of the best bits of business in the summer.
Rodgers makes no bones about the fact that he’s a massive Grealish fan, saying: “His personality on the fi eld is abso lute ly fantastic.
“He has an inbuilt football brain and his awareness of space is phenomenal.
“He draws fouls and his weight of pass is exceptional. He’s a marvellous player.
“Dean Smith will be over the moon that they kept Jack and, likewise,for us keeping James.
“With transfer windows everybody wants to see what you bring in, but keeping your
good players is equally important.” Rodgers knows Villa will be a very different proposition to when they met in the final game before lockdown, when Smith’s men were thrashed 4- 0 and stayed rooted in the bottom three.
Rodgers now has a list of worrying injuries that leave him having to patch a team together.
De fender Caglar Soyuncu returned from international duty with Turkey suffering from an injury that could keep him out for several weeks, while his centre- back partner Jonny Evans is also a doubt.
Hitman Jamie Vardy (above) has a sore calf and Rodgers admits things could be better.
He added: “Cags could be out for a number of weeks with an abductor strain. We’re waiting on a scan.
“Jonny will be reviewed because he came off for Northern Ireland with abdominal pain. The international break hasn’t been kind to us.”
Vardy reported a problem in training. Rodgers said: “He looked bright and sharp but then felt a tightness in his calf. He’s going to have a scan just to make sure.”
It all adds up to a probable debut for £32million new boy Wesley Fofana, and Rodgers is not worried it will faze the 19- year- old former SaintEtienne defender.
The Foxes boss added: “I’d have no qualms about him coming in. He’s ready. He’s just played for France Under-21.
“Whoever comes in will be ready to perform – I have no worries about that.”
King Power Stadium: Tom, 7.15pm