Leicester injuries: Ricardo Pereira and Ayoze Perez return dates

After missing the previous fixture, Leicester City player’s Ricardo Pereira and Ayoze Perez were sorely missed. Here is when we can expect them available.

The pair have been important in recent matches: creating chances and providing an outlet for the team to progress the ball up the pitch, either with technical passes or Ricky P’s characteristic drive down the flank.

Against Arsenal, Brendan Rodgers’ Foxes were left defensively disorganised for the second goal, without the maturity and pace of Pereira to intervene at the appropriate time and Timothy Castagne on the left flank instead of right. Let us have a look at how important these two are to the side and when we can expect them back.

Leicester City need Pereira and Perez

Rodgers requires squad depth so he can maintain the fitness of key players and switch up the system whenever required to improve the defensive or attacking output of the side. When you lose two good players, inevitably this depth is weakened.

However, these two are of particular note. According to Understat, per 90 minutes, Ayo is our second most creative player (measured by expected assists) and the Portuguese right-back our sixth.

Judged on expected goals per 90 instead, the Spanish winger/midfielder is also our second most clinical player. That being said the former Newcastle man has not finished as many of those potential chances as his companions.

The two have been important to the way we play when they are on the pitch, and when they are off, they are impactful players to bring off the bench and create more chances or prevent the creation of chances by the opposition,

Return dates

The gaffer will be happy to get them back into the side soon, and neither look to be far away. LeicestershireLive report Perez is suffering from a mild illness which is not affecting his fitness, so he should recover in time for the Spartak Moscow game.

The crucial defender also looks set to return for the Spartak Moscow game, which could mean either he starts or is rested to recover for longer. The club are monitoring his hamstring and trying to manage the player properly to prevent a repeat of last season where Pereira was out for a considerable amount of time.

Once these players are back, they will be impactful and should improve the results the side can achieve. Let us hope they are back sooner rather than later.