Leicester City manager Steve Cooper is facing a challenging attacking dilemma ahead of Monday’s Premier League opener against Tottenham Hotspur at the King Power Stadium. The club’s final pre-season match saw striker Patson Daka suffer a severe ankle injury that will sideline him for several months. Adding to Cooper’s woes, veteran Jamie Vardy is still recovering from a knock and won’t be available for a few weeks.
With both Daka and Vardy out, Tom Cannon is currently the only fit striker in Leicester’s squad. Cooper might opt for a tactical shift, possibly deploying ex-Arsenal youngster Stephy Mavididi in a central role. Supporting Mavididi could be Bobby Decordova-Reid and Abdul Fatawu, forming a makeshift attacking trio. Former Tottenham midfielder Harry Winks is expected to start against his old club, potentially bolstering the midfield.
Should Cooper choose a more conservative formation, he might field Wilfred Ndidi and Boubakary Soumare alongside Winks in the midfield. The defense will see Jannik Vestergaard and Wout Faes partnering in the absence of the injured Conor Coady (hamstring), with James Justin and Ricardo Pereira occupying the full-back positions. Luke Thomas is set for a late fitness test to determine his availability.
Leicester City’s possible starting lineup for the match against Tottenham could look like this:
Hermansen; Pereira, Faes, Vestergaard, Justin; Winks, Ndidi, Soumare; Reid, Mavididi, Fatawu.
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