Friendly Report: Leicester City 0 Birmingham City 0

- Several members of the Development Squad also got some game time during the international break 

- Nicky Eaden delighted to see youngsters play alongside some of the Club’s senior players 

A number of Leicester City’s first team players notched up some valuable minutes in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Birmingham City at Belvoir Drive on Wednesday afternoon. 

A total of five senior players, including winger Nathan Dyer, who had last week returned to training after picking up a knock in the victory over Aston Villa in September, took to the field as 10 members of the squad departed for international duty with their nations. 

Dyer, Danny Simpson, Marcin Wasilewski, Yohan Benalouane and Dean Hammond all completed 90 minutes, while a number of youngsters from the Development Squad were also in action as their games programme also takes a two-week break. 

Watching on was manager Claudio Ranieri and his coaching staff, who got a good look at the strength in depth their squad has, as well as the wealth of young talent within the Foxes’ current ranks. 

It was in fact a link between senior and youth that carved out the first opportunity of the game. A clever pass from Benalouane saw the ball run through to England youth international Layton Ndukwu, who turned before seeing his strike blocked on the edge of the box in the early stages of the first period. 

Dyer did well on the half-hour mark, only to see his shot blocked, before a neat piece of skill from Ndukwu on the follow up saw the forward nutmeg his marker, but he couldn’t beat the Birmingham shot-stopper. 

Ndukwu was involved again after the break as he saw his 25-yard free kick curl over the Birmingham wall, before being tipped wide of the mark. 

A final chance fell to striker Keenan King, who met Hammond’s corner well, but hooked the ball over the bar from 10 yards. 

Delighted to see some of the Club’s youngsters play alongside some seasoned professionals, Development Squad coach Nicky Eaden told LCFC.com: “It's good for the first team as well as the Under-21s that they can get some minutes. The lads that haven’t been getting regular games with us have been sprinkled in with some of the first teamers. 

“It’s a great experience for the younger lads. I’ve been here a while now and the first team players always set a great example. They’re really good professionals and it can’t help but rub off on our younger lads, mainly with the standards that they have to maintain.” 

Eaden went on to reflect on the versatility of some of the younger members of the team who operated in different roles as part of their continued progression at the Club. 

Eaden added: “It’s good for their development. For Brandon Fox, being a left winger and playing at left back, it helps him improve the defensive side of the game. 

“For Layton Ndukwu, he’s pretty adaptable. He can play up top and through the middle and in behind as well as out wide. I’ve no doubt he will have enjoyed playing through the middle against Birmingham.” 

CITY: A. Trialist (B. Trialist 46), Simpson, Fox (Kipre 64), Choudhury (Panayiotou 67), Wasilewski, Benalouane, Hammond, Dyer, Blyth (King 46), Ndukwu (Rowe 76), Dodoo (Olukanmi 46)