City’s big defenders will help stop goals

THERE is a simple solution to Leicester City’s most glaring problem, Brendan Rodgers believes: get their key players fit, writes Jordan Blackwell.

City conceded their seventh goal from a set-piece at Sheffield United on Sunday, the worst tally in the Premier League, two more than any other side.

But it’s a weak spot that has been caused primarily by the defensive injuries, Rodgers reckons, with no Caglar Soyuncu and Wilfred Ndidi to dominate in the air for the majority of the campaign.

“I know the root of the problem,” said Rodgers. “It doesn’t make me happy that we’ve lost a goal at a set-piece.

“You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to understand that the players we’ve lost defensively are also players of profile.

“If you look at the size of Cags, Wilf, Timothy Castagne, these guys are players that give you that profile to defend the box better. That’s something we’re aware of.

“I’d be very disappointed by the end of the season when we have all those players back if we don’t improve in that aspect.

“For that we just have to do the best we possibly can and see if we can make it more difficult. But I believe we will get better when those players are back.”

While the wait goes on over Soyuncu, who suffered a setback at Zorya Luhansk, and Castagne, Ndidi is now fit for City.

He played his first Premier League game since September as a substitute at Sheffield United, having played 55 minutes in Ukraine last week. He is expected to feature again when City host AEK Athens tomorrow night.