Vardy, Dewsbury-Hall, Ricardo – Leicester City injury latest with potentially 'significant' blow

Leicester City are sweating on the fitness of three key players ahead of their crucial Championship clash with West Brom.

Jamie Vardy, Ricardo Pereira, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall are all doubts for Saturday’s meeting with the Baggies and their fitness issues could potentially have a “very significant” impact on City's preparations, manager Enzo Maresca has said. However, none of the trio are definitely ruled out.

Vardy took a kick to the leg this week, while Dewsbury-Hall has been ill. Ricardo’s fitness is perhaps more concerning, with the club wary of fielding the Portuguese right-back again after three starts in seven days last week off the back of a month-long injury.

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“We have some doubts about Jamie, who had a kick during the week, and Ricky because of the amount of games after the injury,” Maresca said at his press conference on Friday afternoon. “Kiernan has been unwell for a few days this week. So we have some doubts. Kasey (McAteer) is back. That’s all.”

Asked how significant those injuries could be on the preparation for the clash with the Baggies, Maresca said: “Very significant. For Jamie and Ricky, it’s more a physical problem. Kiernan has been just unwell. We’ll see. We have still 24 hours. We’ll see if we can have some of them back for the game.

“I don’t think Ricky has struggled this year. He has played more minutes than the last three years. He has been fantastic in the way he has played with us, and with his physicality also. It’s normal with all this amount of games that he can have some problems. But he has always played. We’ll see for tomorrow.”

While all three players would likely start should they be fit, City do have players they can call up as replacements if they’re deemed unavailable. Without Vardy, City still have Patson Daka, Kelechi Iheanacho, or Tom Cannon who can lead the line, while Hamza Choudhury has regularly stepped in for Ricardo. Dewsbury-Hall has not missed many matches this season, but in Dennis Praet and Yunus Akgun, they have two players who could operate in his attacking midfield role.

If Vardy, Dewsbury-Hall, and Ricardo are unavailable, who should start in their place? Let us know in the comments section below.