Rodgers' Pre-Man City Fitness Update: Ndidi, Evans & Ricardo
- Leicester City travel to Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday (4:30pm kick-off)
- Manager Brendan Rodgers has confirmed Wilfred Ndidi will have surgery on an adductor injury
- The Nigeria international is set for up to 12 weeks out as part of his rehabilitation
- Jonny Evans (thigh) is available for selection, while Ricardo Pereira is progressing well, Rodgers says
The Nigeria midfielder played the full 90 minutes on Filbert Way, but a scan at full-time revealed an injury which the Club's medical team have since determined will require surgery.
Rodgers' men head to Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday (4:30pm kick-off) and, despite missing out on Ndidi's qualities, the Northern Irishman backed others to step in.
"That (surgery) will take probably place tomorrow morning," he said on Friday. "It’s just unfortunate, it’s come right off the bone, so he’s going to be up to 12 weeks we think. He’s a huge player for us.
"It’s something that showed his mentality against Burnley [because] he felt it. Towards the end of last season, he felt some pain there and he felt it late on in the Burnley game.
"I’m sure he’ll make a really good recovery and we’ll welcome him back when he comes back, but there’s no doubt he’s a miss.
"We have players capable of stepping in. Papy [Mendy] signed a new contract in the summer and has started the season very well.
"Hamza [Choudhury] was excellent against Arsenal, he really covered the ground and was defensively very good, so we have enough cover in that position."
Ndidi has been utilised in central defence for the Foxes so far this season, but Rodgers now says Jonny Evans' thigh injury has cleared up in time for his return from suspension.
"He’s fine," the Leicester manager confirmed, when asked about Evans' current condition. "He’s trained this last numbers of days, so he’s available.
"He’s had a good couple of weeks and I think, for most players, they’re not going to be 100 per cent. I’d still have Jonny Evans at 80 per cent because he’s such a quality player."
Rodgers also provided an update on full-back Ricardo Pereira, who has trained at Belvoir Drive this week as part of his own rehabilitation from an ACL injury sustained in March.
"He’s still a bit of time away, but great for him to be out on the field these last few days," the 47-year-old explained.
"He’s worked tirelessly in the gym in this period and hopefully now he’s out on the grass, he can push forward with that rehabilitation.
"He’s still a period of four-to five weeks away, but we’ll see how that recovery goes over these next numbers of weeks."
All times BST.