IT’S HIP-HIP BOO FOR MADDISON

JAMES MADDISON looks set for England heartache as he struggles to fight off a hip problem.

The Leicester playmaker, 24, has been ruled out of his side’s home game with Sheffield United tomorrow. That’s his fifth successive game out and almost certainly puts paid to his hopes of being in the Three Lions squad for the World Cup qualifiers with San Marino, Albania and Poland later this month.

England boss Gareth Southgate names his squad this Thursday and any players missing out know they are running out of time to nail down a place in the summer squad for the Euros. Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers said he could not put a timeline on when Maddison might return but suggested it would be after the international break. Rodgers said: “James had it repaired but there’s an area that has become irritable. “The scans all show he doesn’t need surgery. He could be available next weekend but we just don’t know. There’s a bit of soreness there. He’s as frustrated as we are. There’s always that frustration when you are on the treatment table. It’s in the same area but it’s not the same injury. There’s a reaction in the tendon.”

Rodgers hinted he has little interest in Maddison’s England aspirations.

“We don’t have another player like him,” he said. “I just want him back for us – anything over and above that I haven’t given any consideration.”

Rodgers, who needs a fit Maddison (above) to spearhead Leicester’s push for a top-four finish which narrowly eluded them last season, has been boosted by the news that defender Jonny Evans is fit.

Though bookmakers have Leicester as heavy odds-on favourites for tomorrow’s game, Rodgers says Sheffield United are no pushovers.

“It’s been a tough season for them but they will never give up and it’s dangerous territory if you treat one game as being bigger than another,” he said. “They fight and they run and they are really dangerous – we’ll have to be ready for them.

“We’ve got ourselves into a really good position but it’s where you finish at the end of the season that matters.

“We could finish in the top three, the top two, fifth, or whatever.

“You need some luck along the way but we will be looking to finish as high up the table as we can.”