Midfield Mastermind’s Injury Blow Threatens to Derail Leicester City’s Premier League Charge

Leicester City’s premier league ambitions have been dealt a significant blow with the news that influential midfielder Wilfred Ndidi has suffered a hamstring injury, leaving manager Ruud van Nistelrooy facing a selection headache ahead of the trip to Newcastle.

The Nigerian midfielder was forced off in the second half of the 2-2 draw against Brighton, following a heated collision with Joao Pedro, and initial assessments suggest that he may be facing a prolonged spell on the sidelines. “Wilf, when he comes off, you know there’s a problem. I hope it’s minor. He felt a slight strain in the hamstring. Hopefully, it’s not too much. We’ll see how quick we can get him back,” van Nistelrooy said.

Ndidi’s injury is the latest in a string of setbacks for Leicester City, who have been struggling to find consistency in the premier league this season. The Foxes’ midfield woes have been well-documented, and the loss of Ndidi will only serve to exacerbate the problem. “We’ve been patchy at times, and we need to find a way to consistency,” van Nistelrooy added.

Van Nistelrooy has been lavish in his praise for Ndidi, who has been rejuvenated since being restored to his preferred position as a number six. The Dutch manager has spoken of the importance of the deep midfield duo in shielding the back-line, and Ndidi’s absence will be keenly felt. “Wilf is a key player for us, and we’ll miss his energy and drive in midfield,” van Nistelrooy said.

The availability issue in midfield could also see Hamza Choudhury brought into the fray, although the homegrown midfielder has played just 14 minutes in the premier league this season. Oliver Skipp, a £20m summer signing from Tottenham, is also in contention to start, but has yet to consistently deliver the goods in a City shirt.

“Oliver Skipp is a very good player, but he needs to adapt to the premier league. He’s got the quality, but he needs to show it more often,” van Nistelrooy added.

The Leicester manager will be eager to get Ndidi back to full fitness as quickly as possible, as the Foxes look to build on their recent upturn in form. With a testing run of fixtures on the horizon, van Nistelrooy will need to act quickly to find a solution to the midfield crisis.

In the short term, Leicester City will have to rely on their squad depth to navigate the challenging fixture list. The Foxes’ team spirit and resilience will be tested in the coming weeks, but van Nistelrooy will be confident that his side can overcome the loss of Ndidi and maintain their premier league ambitions. “We’ve got a good squad, and we’ve got players who can come in and do a job. We’ll miss Wilf, but we’ve got to move on and find a way to win without him,” van Nistelrooy said.

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