Leicester City manager Steve Cooper has confirmed that striker Patson Daka will not be fit in time for their clash against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park this weekend.
The Zambian forward has been recovering from an injury, and there had been hopes among fans that he might return following the international break, but Cooper dispelled those expectations.
Speaking ahead of the game, Cooper addressed the situation during a press conference at Leicester’s Seagrave training ground. He revealed that Daka’s recovery is still a long way off, explaining:
“It’s a long-term recovery. He’s out of his boot and crutches. He’s looking more normal in terms of how he’s walking around, but he’s still a while away.”
While Daka’s absence will be felt, there were also concerns regarding the fitness of veteran striker Jamie Vardy. However, Cooper was quick to reassure fans that Vardy is in good shape and ready for action.
“Vards, you’re right. He trained for a week before he picked up the injury, and then trained once more before he started.
“We’ve used the two weeks to get some training into him while preparing him to be ready for a game as well. He played 90 minutes in the last game and nearly got a penalty at the end, so he wasn’t flagging. That’s a testament to his professionalism,” Cooper added.
Crystal Palace will be eager to secure their first win of the campaign after a mixed start to the season. Despite finishing last season in excellent form with four consecutive home victories, they’ve struggled in the opening matches, suffering defeats to Brentford and West Ham, before an encouraging draw against Chelsea.
This weekend’s fixture will also see Eddie Nketiah in line to make his Palace debut. The former Arsenal striker, who joined for a fee that could rise to £30 million, is expected to feature, adding firepower to Roy Hodgson’s side.