Leicester City line-up against Tottenham requires four big decisions
A closer look at the team Steve Cooper could pick to play against Spurs on City’s Premier League return, with the chance to impress in pre-season friendlies now passed
There are still a few days of training for Leicester City players to catch the manager’s eye and perhaps change his thinking, but the opportunity to impress in pre-season matches has now passed.
City’s Premier League return is just days away and Steve Cooper will have a broad idea of the line-up he plans to field against Tottenham Hotspur on Monday (8pm). The likes of Mads Hermansen and Harry Winks are almost certainly going to start.
But there are a couple of positions that are still up for debate, so we have taken a look at the most contentious areas of the City starting line-up.
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Ricardo or Kristiansen
Given he was one of City’s best performers last season, his quality in tight areas integral to the success of the style of play, it was a surprise that Ricardo Pereira did not start either of the club’s final two pre-season friendlies. His absence from the 11 against Augsburg, when others required game-time to improve their fitness, was understandable, but to then also be on the bench at Lens suggested he may not make Cooper’s team against Spurs.
The choice looks to be between Ricardo and Victor Kristiansen. James Justin seems a strong bet to start, given he can play on both sides of the back-line, and in either of the two full-back roles, bombing on or tucking in.
Going forward, Kristiansen has the greater energy of the pair for what is a demanding role in getting up and down the flank, but Ricardo is the more dangerous player in the final third and better at linking play with team-mates too. Defensively, Ricardo has the greater nous and experience.
Two from Faes, Okoli and Vestergaard
Before last week, it was two from five at centre-back for City. But Conor Coady, who would have been a strong contender to start, has picked up an injury and is now out of the running. Of the other four, Ben Nelson didn’t get off the bench at Lens and does not appear to be quite as serious a candidate as his team-mates.
So that leaves three. Cooper tried Wout Faes and Caleb Okoli together for the first time on Saturday and they were put through their paces with City on the backfoot for the whole match. When it came to passing out from the back, both struggled.
That could get Jannik Vestergaard a spot in the side. Given how poor City were in possession at Lens, they could do with a centre-back who has the vision and ability to play balls into midfield and the attack. Vestergaard is the best option for that.
Plus, at centre-back, success is often down to communication and understanding of team-mates. Vestergaard and Faes have spent a whole season alongside one another and so know each other’s games better than they do Okoli’s.
However, the summer signing has shown strength and speed in one-on-ones in recent outings. It will be a physical, pacy frontline City face at the King Power Stadium, and Okoli may be the best bet to help deal with that.
Buonanotte or De Cordova-Reid
He’s not played a single pre-season friendly for the club, but Facundo Buonanotte is a natural number 10, and City’s dearth of senior options in that position may mean he comes straight into the line-up. His main rival is Bobby De Cordova-Reid.
The Jamaica international has started both of City’s last two pre-season matches and is the more experienced of the pair, scoring some crucial goals for Fulham over the past couple of seasons. But he’s perhaps more suited to playing on the right wing, a position likely to be occupied by Abdul Fatawu.
It would be a shock if either Will Alves or Michael Golding were considered to start, with neither having yet played a senior league match. Alves is likely to be in the matchday squad though.
