DOCTORS ORDERS
Fit again? Vardy told by Puel he’s not qualified to judge; medics will decide if he’s fit enough to play
JAMIE VARDY has been told that Leicester’s medical team will have the final say on whether he starts at Selhurst Park today.
Foxes boss Claude Puel and Vardy have endured a strained relationship this term.
The England striker was unhappy to be dropped for the visit of West Ham in October after recovering from a stomach illness.
His wife, former I’m A Celebrity contestant Rebekah Vardy, even liked three Tweets criticising Puel, including one saying: “Genuinely waste of time him playing under Puel.”
Leicester’s top scorer, the talisman of their amazing title triumph, was restored to the starting line-up at Cardiff following owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha’s tragic death.
But he has since missed the draw with Fulham and the defeat by Spurs after coming off against Watford with a groin injury.
The 31-year-old, who has five goals this term, was seen doing rigorous sprinting in front of the cameras on his return to training on Thursday ahead of today’s trip to Crystal Palace.
But Puel is cautious ahead of a busy period of festive fixtures, including Tuesday’s Carabao Cup quarterfinal with Manchester City.
The Frenchman said: “I am confident Vardy can give his best for the team. I don’t know if it will be at the beginning of the game or in the second half but I have confidence in my medical staff, we have fantastic medical staff at Leicester.
“There is a lot of competence and enough quality to make a judgement about the injury.”
Leicester were twice embarrassed by struggling Palace in the Premier League last season. The Foxes slumped to a 3-0 defeat at home a year ago and then were thumped 5-0 at Selhurst Park in April.
But Puel (below, with Vardy) has told his squad to forget thoughts of revenge. The Frenchman, speaking about the 5-0 defeat in London which saw Marc Albrighton sent off early in the second half, said: “It was a bad game, it was not a good memory.
“We don’t like this – the players, the staff or the directors.
“We cannot accept this so we need the right response and a positive attitude to correct the situation.
“But it is another season, another game. It will not be about revenge for us.
“We need to stay focused.
“There was a lot of frustration and disappointment but now we must think only of getting three points to try to stay in the top half of the table.”
“We need to be more clinical in the final third. That is the most important thing, not to take revenge.”
Leicester, ninth in the table after six wins and six defeats from their opening 16 games, face a daunting run of fixtures. After Tuesday’s League Cup tie at home to City they must travel to Chelsea next Saturday and then on Boxing Day host Pep Guardiola’s champions once again, this time in the Premier League.
After taking on Cardiff at the King Power on December 29 they travel to Everton on New Year’s Day.