A closer look at the team that Steve Cooper could pick for Leicester City’s first away game of the new Premier League season, with calls needed in midfield, at full-back, and on the wing
New signing Oliver Skipp is at the heart of one of the three big decisions Steve Cooper has to make when he picks his Leicester City team to face Fulham.
The £20m midfielder is available to make his debut when City travel to Craven Cottage on Saturday (3pm kick-off) for the club’s first away game of the campaign. If he’s going to be included in the starting line-up, it looks like there are two potential spots for him.
Wilfred Ndidi is perhaps most at risk of losing his place, with Skipp potentially partnered with former Tottenham team-mate Harry Winks at the base of the midfield. Skipp is perhaps better at retaining possession than Ndidi, but while he is able to run hard and put himself about, he perhaps can’t match the Nigerian for physical, off-the-ball work. It makes for an intriguing call for Cooper.
There is the possibility that Skipp could also come in for Facundo Buonanotte, with Cooper perhaps creating a flat midfield three for the first away game. However, the manager has also spoken of ensuring City play with bravery and intent, and dropping the attacking midfielder would not align with that motto. Plus, the Argentinian made an impressive debut on Monday and perhaps deserves to start again.
The other big calls are at full-back and on the wing. Ricardo Pereira and Stephy Mavididi were the most high-profile names on City’s bench on Monday and so are the players pushing hardest for a start.
Mavididi came on up front when Jamie Vardy was substituted late on, and it may be that the winger is kept in reserve in order to be the number nine’s back-up again. But he did well when he was introduced, and will vie with Bobby De Cordova-Reid for a spot on the left wing.
The Jamaican debutant had a difficult first half against Spurs, but did improve in the second period. Plus, he’s more of a natural at drifting inside, which is part of the job for one of Cooper’s wingers.
If Ricardo is selected, he would play at right-back, but that does not mean that James Justin would definitely be dropped, with the England international able to play on the left too, where Victor Kristiansen made his first City appearance for more than a year. Ricardo is the most technical of the trio, but for now, Cooper may prefer the better physical attributes the other two have.
Jannik Vestergaard and Wout Faes did a good job at centre-back and so are likely to keep their spots, delaying Caleb Okoli’s debut, while Vardy is fit to play again up front. Barring a late injury, Mads Hermansen, Winks, and Abdul Fatawu will keep their places in the team.
Predicted City line-up (4-2-3-1): Hermansen; Justin, Vestergaard, Faes, Kristiansen; Ndidi, Winks; Fatawu, Buonanotte, De Cordova-Reid; Vardy. Subs from: Ward, Iversen, Ricardo, Thomas, Okoli, Nelson, Choudhury, Soumare, Skipp, McAteer, Mavididi, Marcal, Alves, Golding, Cannon.
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