LENS, FRANCE - AUGUST 10: Patson Daka of Leicester City receives treatment before going off injured during the Pre-Season friendly match between RC Lens and Leicester City at Stade Félix Bollaert-Delélis on August 10, 2024 in Lens. (Photo by Plumb Images/Leicester City FC via Getty Images)
Leicester City hit with double injury blow as Jamie Vardy latest emerges ahead of Tottenham clash
Steve Cooper will be very concerned as the injuries begin to mount up for his Leicester City side ahead of their Premier League season-opener against Tottenham in just over a week.
Leicester City ended pre-season in disappointing fashion as Steve Cooper‘s side lost 3-0 to RC Lens on Saturday in what was a worryingly poor display so close to the start of the season.
That loss made it three defeats in a row heading into the Premier League season, with Leicester managing just two shots in the defeat to Lens.
There is a lot of work to be done if Cooper is to have a chance of keeping the Foxes in the top flight, with the five Foxes signings so far needing to be added to prior to the end of the transfer window.
Whilst the display at the Stade Félix Bollaert-Delélis will leave Leicester fans anxious, the injury list is perhaps of more concern.
READ MORE: Jamie Vardy chances of featuring for Leicester City vs Tottenham Hotspur revealed
Conor Coady and Patson Daka both look set to miss start of Leicester City season alongside Jamie Vardy
Jamie Vardy remains Leicester’s talisman even at 37 but has not featured in pre-season since scoring against Villarreal in the very first friendly of the summer.
The man with 190 Leicester goals is set to miss the start of the season and looks set to be joined by two more key players in what is awful news for Cooper.
Conor Coady limped out of training in the week, whilst Vardy’s replacement in the side, Patson Daka, came off after 37 minutes against Lens.
Cooper revealed the extent of the injuries after the game, confirming that Coady is certain to miss the start of the season whilst doing little to reassure fans Daka will be ready for Tottenham.
Cooper explained post-match: “We’ll see how Patson is,” Cooper told BBC Radio Leicester after the 3-0 defeat. “He’s in a [protective] boot at the moment. Conor’s going to be out for at least a month.
“Vards is still rehab-ing. He’s not back yet with the team and I think it will be a little while until that is the case. So we’re planning without those guys at the moment.”
Leicester look very light without Daka ahead of Tottenham
Vardy’s absence was bad enough, but to lose Coady and Daka so close to the start of the season is a hammer blow for Leicester.
Coady had been a feature of pre-season, often captaining the side as he looked set to be an integral figure under Cooper having been more of a back-up under Enzo Maresca.
Daka is the Vardy alternative, leaving Leicester very light on centre-forward options ahead of Tottenham.
Interestingly, Cooper opted to bring winger Stephy Mavididi on for Daka against Lens when young striker Tom Cannon was on the bench.
READ MORE: Steve Cooper questioned over strange Leicester City decision during RC Lens friendly
This looks pretty damning for Cannon, who was expected to leave on loan this summer prior to Vardy’s injury.
The concern regarding Daka’s early exit against Lens only serves to make Cannon’s departure less likely but he could be a frustrated figure if he is not trusted by Cooper despite being the only natural centre-forward available.
