Leicester City team news v Manchester United with Jamie Vardy missing as four changes made
Caleb Okoli has been handed his first Leicester City start under Ruud van Nistelrooy with four changes made for the FA Cup clash at Manchester United.
Jannik Vestergaard, Victor Kristiansen and Jamie Vardy are all missing from the City squad at Old Trafford, with van Nistelrooy indicating on Thursday that there were “light injuries” to deal. It's now been confirmed that the missing trio do all have minor issues. Okoli comes in at the back, while Luke Thomas and Patson Daka make their second starts under the Dutchman at left-back and up front.
The fourth change sees Wilfred Ndidi, fit again after two months out with a hamstring injury, replace Harry Winks in the midfield. Winks is on the bench, which includes 15-year-old winger Jeremy Monga but not 16-year-old forward Jake Evans, despite van Nistelrooy saying both would be among the substitutes.
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The club’s number one goalkeeper Mads Hermansen remains in goal, while James Justin starts at right-back as Woyo Coulibaly’s wait for a first City start goes on. Wout Faes partners Okoli as the most common centre-back pairing under Steve Cooper reforms.
Boubakary Soumare is next to Ndidi in midfield, reforming the midfield that started van Nistelrooy’s first two games. And the attacking line of three behind the striker remains the same for the third game, with Jordan Ayew on the right, Bobby De Cordova-Reid on the left, and Bilal El Khannouss in the middle.
Facundo Buonanotte, Kasey McAteer and Stephy Mavididi join Monga on the bench as van Nistelrooy’s attacking options. But Odsonne Edouard is again left out, meaning there is no recognised striker in reserve.
City (4-2-3-1): Hermansen; Justin, Faes, Okoli, Thomas; Ndidi, Soumare; Ayew, El Khannouss, De Cordova-Reid; Daka. Subs: Stolarczyk, Coulibaly, Coady, Winks, Skipp, McAteer, Mavididi, Monga, Buonanotte.
