Leicester to be boosted by James Maddison and Harvey Barnes return against Leeds

The pair have scored nine and 10 Premier League goals this season respectively.

Pa Sport Staff
Monday 24 April 2023 07:20 EDT
Leicester’s James Maddison (left) and Harvey Barnes (right) have been missing due to illness and a hamstring issue respectively (Isaac Parkin/PA)
Leicester’s James Maddison (left) and Harvey Barnes (right) have been missing due to illness and a hamstring issue respectively (Isaac Parkin/PA) (PA Wire)

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Leicester look set to be boosted by the return of James Maddison and Harvey Barnes when they face fellow relegation battlers Leeds in Tuesday’s crunch clash at Elland Road.

Maddison was missing through illness from the matchday squad for Saturday’s 2-1 home win over Wolves, while Barnes has been absent for two games due to a hamstring issue.

The pair have scored nine and 10 Premier League goals this season respectively.

Foxes boss Dean Smith told a press conference: “Madders came in yesterday and did a gym session. He’ll train today, so I’d expect him to be available.

“Harvey joined in training yesterday. He’ll train again today and, if he has no after-effects, then he’s definitely available.”

Smith also said veteran forward Jamie Vardy, who came off at half-time during Saturday’s contest after being caught on the ankle, would be fit for selection.

Leicester came from behind to record their first victory since February against Wolves and moved out of the bottom three.

It was the first points under Smith in their first home game since he succeeded Brendan Rodgers and it ended a run of nine matches without a win – eight of which had been losses.

The Foxes are 17th, a place above Everton – who they host next Monday – on goal difference and a point behind 16th-placed Leeds, with six games to go.

Smith said: “It gives everybody a lift by getting that win, but it’s not a big lift because they know there’s still work to be done.

“We’re just taking it game by game and this one comes around very quickly. So we were in yesterday, trained, did our debrief and all focus now is on Leeds.

“We’re not looking at this week in general, we’re just looking at Tuesday and Leeds United at Elland Road.

“It’s a great place to play football, with the atmosphere that their fans produce – and our job is to try to keep them quiet.

“You don’t give them any reason to get lifted. We can’t give cheap free-kicks away around the box, or cheap goals. We have to keep them quiet for as long as we can. If we can do that it makes it a better place to go for us.

“It’s crucial because you’re playing a team in and around us and if we win we go above them. We’ve looked at Leeds, their strengths and weaknesses, but ultimately its about us, what we do and how we do it.”

Javi Gracia’s Leeds head into the match on a three-match losing streak, having been thrashed 5-1 by Crystal Palace and then 6-1 by Liverpool at home before losing 2-1 at Fulham on Saturday.

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