Evans a doubt, but Vestergaard can fill the void
KASPER HAILS LEADERSHIP SKILLS OF HIS FELLOW DANE
LEICESTER City could be without their defensive leader again this weekend, but Kasper Schmeichel believes they have an ideal replacement.
Jonny Evans made his first start of the campaign on Thursday night but was substituted at half-time after his foot injury flared up again, and he is now a doubt for Sunday’s trip to
Brighton. “We’ll just need to wait and see,” manager Brendan Rodgers said. “He’ll probably struggle for the weekend.
“He’s felt his foot again so we’ll see, medically, how that looks in the next couple of days.”
Evans has been the lynchpin and organiser of City’s back-line for the past few seasons and his presence is often missed.
But in new signing Jannik Vestergaard, Schmeichel has total confidence, paying him the “biggest compliment” a goalkeeper can in saying he feels secure behind the centreback.
The City skipper also believes Vestergaard has the leadership skills that should help make up for Evans’ absence.
“I’ve never made a secret of me being a Jannik Vestergaard fan,” Schmeichel said this week. “He’s a top-class player.
“I’ve played with him at international level and always felt very secure. I think that’s the biggest compliment I can pay any defender, feeling secure behind them.
“He’s a big guy, but still very mobile. He’s got incredible feet, an incredible range of passing.
“He’s a threat in both boxes. He’s very good defensively in our box and from set-pieces he can score goals.
“He’s at an age now where he’s coming into his best years and luck
ily they’re going to be for Leicester City. I’m very happy he’s here.
“As a character, he suits this club very well. He’s a talker, he’s a leader, always has been. He was captain for the Denmark Under-21s. He’s always been a guy people look to, and a guy who always gives an honest, fair and measured opinion of things.
“He’s fitted in very well and I’m looking forward to seeing him doing well in a Leicester shirt.”