INALS LEICESTER V SOUTHAMPTON

SUNDAY, 6.30PM, BT SPORT

THIS is a pretty momentous game with an impact beyond these two semi-finalists, with the first spectators to be allowed into a football ground since the turn of the year. What kind of atmosphere the 4,000 lucky souls generate remains to be seen, seeing as they are Brent residents rather than fans of either club, but it is an important stepping stone towards normality.

It is still a momentous occasion for the semi-finalists. Leicester last reached this stage in 1982, while Saints did make the 2003 final. What the fans would give to be there. Perhaps James Maddison, Ayoze Perez and Hamza Choudhury should have thought of that when they broke Covid-19 protocols but they are back in Brendan Rodgers’ squad after missing last week’s 3-2 reverse at West Ham. Even in defeat, Kelechi Iheanacho made himself harder to drop with two goals that nearly forced a great escape and he has scored nine goals in his last six games. What to do about Jamie Vardy is the big question facing Rodgers. The 34-year-old has scored just once in his last 18 appearances and while the manager has been at pains to say he is ‘unfortunate’, he looked a shadow of his former self at the London Stadium. His last hat-trick came in that 9-0 win over Saints in October 2019, a result sure to get mentioned more than a few times in the build-up to Sunday’s game. Not that it will be too relevant – in 1990 Crystal Palace beat Liverpool 4-3 in a semi-final having gone down 9-0 at Anfield earlier in the season. In contrast to their wretched league form since the turn of the year, which saw them lose 3-0 at West Brom on Monday, Saints have reached the semi-finals by scoring seven goals without reply – just one of those netted by Danny Ings who they need back at his best for the Wembley showdown.