Injury crisis eases

[leicesterlass]

After the rigours of Tuesday's gruelling clash with Aston Villa, Leicester City hope to be on the mend for Saturday's trip to QPR.

The makeshift Carling Cup heroes, pressed into service in the midst of an injury crisis, were back in training today after a well-earned day off.


And City boss Robert Kelly is hoping to have some of his injured back for the Championship game at QPR.

He said: "It should be getting better now and we might get three or four back in contention.

"A scan on Stephen Hughes's thigh strain shows it is not as bad as first thought and he has an outside chance of making it, but Saturday might be too early for Andy Johnson.

"Those definitely still out are Paddy McCarthy and Gareth Williams, and we will have to wait and see how the other bumps and bruises turn out."

Kelly admits he has a welcome problem over his goalkeepers. Paul Henderson replaced Conrad Logan against Villa and was outstanding, one of the moves that suggested Kelly might be keeping something back for the more serious business of the Championship.

But he said: "Conrad had a finger injury and, along with some others, could have played at a pinch, but it was not going to be worth the risk.

"Paul was good, and it is a nice problem to have, but there is no way I put out a lesser team. We have a squad who are all first-the team players who can be called upon any time, and I am confident they will do all that is asked of them. I think their performance proved that it was as full strength as we could manage."

The visit to QPR will be another different challenge and, with City unbeaten in six league games, confidence will be high.

Last season's 3-2 win at Loftus Road sparked the revival, and if Hughes, scorer of the winning goal, returns then City will again fancy their chances.

But the way Richard Stearman and James Wesolowski played in central midfield against top-flight opposition also showed Kelly that he has welcome options in that area. After a flurry of improvement under ex-City coach John Gregory, Rangers have faltered.

But the main challenge for City is to reproduce the spirit and passion of Tuesday in the more important business of gathering points.

[leicesterlass]

UPDATED:


Rob Kelly has received some positive news on the injury front ahead of Saturday's Championship clash against Queen's Park Rangers at Loftus Road.

The Foxes boss was without EIGHT first team regulars for his side's Carling Cup third round clash against Aston Villa in midweek.

But as the weekend approaches it looks as though Kelly will have the services of a at least one extra player at his disposal for the QPR match.

He said: "We have still got a few players who are struggling, but we have also got one or two coming back, which is pleasing.

"Darren Kenton has been out on the training pitches today and is available.

"Paddy McCarthy has trained with a mask, but it might be a big ask for him to play on Saturday. We will have to wait and see."

Meanwhile, Matty Fryatt was also back on the training pitches today, although it is thought that Saturday's game may come to soon for him following a month long absence with and ankle injury.

Kelly added: "It was good to see Matty back out there again and we are hopeful that he isn't too far away."

But despite the good news, Kelly still looks set to go into the game with a number of players unavailable.

He said: "There is a list of players who are out, but I think it is important that we talk about the players that are available because they have done particularly well.

"We work hard here, but we try and work smart as well because of the size of the squad that we have got.

"We plan our work, our practices, our training, our rest and our recovery. But there has been nothing we could have done about the injuries that we have got."