Three Foxes Nearing Returns From Injury, Says Rodgers
- Brendan Rodgers provides a fresh update on Leicester City's fitness situation
- The Foxes host Sheffield United at King Power Stadium on Sunday (2pm GMT kick-off)
- Jonny Evans, Ayoze Pérez and Dennis Praet could return for City very soon, says Rodgers
- James Maddison is continuing work towards his recovery from a hip issue
City welcome Sheffield United to King Power Stadium on Sunday hoping to follow up last weekend's win at Brighton & Hove Albion by making it three games unbeaten in the Premier League.
While James Maddison (hip), Harvey Barnes (knee), James Justin (ACL), Wes Morgan (back) and Cengiz Ünder (thigh) remain out for the Foxes, Brendan Rodgers could have three players back in contention.
Evans (calf), Pérez (knee) and Praet (hamstring) are all close to featuring for the Foxes, with some possibly staring against the Blades on Filbert Way at the weekend, the City manager confirmed.
"We've got really good news with Jonny Evans back and he will be available," Rodgers told the media. "Dennis Praet has been training this week as well, so he should be available, and Ayoze Pérez. I’ll check with all those three before we select the team, but it’s great to have those back in the squad.
"He (Pérez) looks very, very good in training. He was doing some finishing exercises this morning and was excellent.
"The thing with him is he actually has a good fitness level because he’s been able to continue with that side of things, but I’ll speak with him later or first thing in the morning and see where he’s at.
"They're all available, which is important, and it gives us that flexibility."
On Maddison, meanwhile, the Northern Irishman reemphasised the need for patience as the England international continues his recovery from an issue in his hip area which returned in February.
"There’s no update," Rodgers added. "I said the other week we’d look at where he’s at probably after the international break.
"Day on day, he’s getting better. There’s no timeline on it. It’s just really about how he’s going to feel and there’s a little bit of soreness there, but he’s working with the medical team very hard and he’s as frustrated as us all really.
"He’s such a big player for us, but hopefully he can play a real part for us in the closing games.
"Like any football player, especially a young player that loves the game, he’s a boy that trains every single day, he loves his football, loves talking about the game, loves improving and becoming better.
"Of course, there’s an element of frustration when he can't do that. He’s in treatment watching everyone else train outside, but after those first few days or so, his spirits have been up. It’s just waiting and seeing how he reacts to some of the work he’s doing.
"It’s in the same area, but it’s not the same injury. There’s obviously a reaction there in the tendon which we need to see how it reacts, but hopefully sooner rather than later, he’ll be back."
On Ünder, Rodgers added: "He'll be a few weeks yet. He hurt his thigh, so he's still out, but there's nothing new to report."