Prior to their match against Southampton, Leicester City gets a major boost – The Real EFL

 

Conor Coady, a summer acquisition for Leicester City, is expected to play in tomorrow’s crucial Championship match against Southampton, according to manager Enzo Maresca.

 

Wolverhampton Wanderers sold the 30-year-old to the Foxes in July for a fee of £7.5 million as Maresca chose to go with players with Premier League experience for their first season back in the lower division.

 

 

 

Coady has built a reputation as one of the strongest centre-backs in the English game in recent years and his experience is one that will hugely benefit the squad this season. However, the England international is yet to feature for his new side after suffering a fractured foot in training.

 

He has recently stepped up his recovery ahead of a return to competitive football and looks set to join up with the matchday squad tomorrow. Speaking to the media ahead of the trip to the south coast, Maresca said;

 

“He trained with us these last days. He has started to be better, to be good. Probably tomorrow, he can be in the squad.

 

“Conor is so important that even if he is not 100 per cent, it’s good to have him with us. Probably, he can be with us tomorrow but that doesn’t mean he is 100 per cent.”

 

Both Leicester and Southampton have been in fine form since their relegation from the Premier League, although both clubs suffered their first defeats of the campaign in the final game before the international break earlier this month.

 

The Saints arguably have the bigger point to

prove after being thumped 5-0 by

Sunderland at the Stadium of Light, whilst

Leicester went down to a solitary goal

against Hull City at the King Power Stadium.

 

Writer’s View

Despite relegation, Leicester’s acquisition

shows they still have big pulling power and

Coady is a player who should still be playing

in the top tier.

 

It is unlikely that Coady will be handed a

starting berth tomorrow night, but his

presence is one that will be a huge boost to

the manager. He will be hopeful that he can

appear amongst the substitutes and get a

quick run out towards the end of the match,

especially should Leicester be defending a

slim lead.

Tomorrow’s clash at St Mary’s is expected to

be one of the games of the season between

two sides who are favourites for promotion.