Iheanacho faces fight to get back this season

KELECHI Iheanacho faces a race to be fit for Leicester’s survival run- in.

The striker injured his groin in Tuesday’s 1-1 draw at Leeds and could miss the final five games.

Iheanacho has scored twice in Dean Smith’s opening three matches and suffered the injury helping to set up Jamie Vardy’s leveller at Elland Road.

There is a hope he will recover in time to play a part to beat the drop, with the Foxes back in the bottom three ahead of Monday’s crucial visit of Everton.

Smith said: “He’s not great, he’s got a tear in his adductor muscle.

“It’s significant enough to see him on the sidelines.

“I’m not going to rule him out for the rest of the season but it will be tough to get him back. Hopefully we can.

“He’s disappointed, scored two goals and was putting in good performances.

“Like always, it gives opportunities for others to come in.

“It’s a blow, he came on at half-time against Man City and did ever so well.

“He did well in the Wolves game, scored the penalty, and his all-round displays have been really good.”

Advantage

Jonny Evans should return to training this weekend but Ricardo Pereira remains out with a hamstring injury.

Nottingham Forest’s 3-1 win over Brighton on Wednesday put the Foxes back in the drop zone, with Everton a point and a place behind.

Smith said: “It’s a big game for both teams with the positions we’re both in and with games running out.

“This time we will have home advantage and we want to use it to the best advantage we can.

“There’s still no target of points.

“Forest won the other night, we can’t get involved in that, we have to concentrate on the games we’ve got to play.

“You can’t take the pressure fully off them (the players).

“They watch football, see the games, see the table, they know what is happening.

“What we can do is make it clear with our plan what we’re trying to do. If you can do that they will go in pretty calm and relaxed but having that fire to win games.”