The honeymoon period for Andy King's interim reign lasted precisely fifteen minutes before Caleb Okoli's reckless dismissal against Charlton Athletic sent the King Power into a tailspin. Now, as the Foxes prepare for a daunting trip to St Andrew's to face Birmingham City, the legendary former midfielder faces a selection crisis that could define his short tenure.
Omissions
The most glaring omission will be Okoli himself, whose bizarre professional foul left King visibly fuming on the touchline, according to Matt Piper. The Italian has also likely exhausted his manager's patience.
However, he isn't the only one facing the axe when available again. Jordan Ayew, who has never been a reliable figure on Filbert Way, is under immense pressure after a limp performance capped by a disastrous penalty miss that struck the woodwork. With King publicly lamenting the 'missed moment', Ayew’s profligacy may see him sacrificed for a more clinical edge.
In the middle of the park, Hamza Choudhury's knee injury has forced the gaffer's hand as well. But the return of Oliver Skipp and the "excellent" impact of Harry Winks from the bench suggest a total midfield overhaul.
King was reportedly furious with the lack of stability during the Charlton collapse, and the veteran presence of Jannik Vestergaard would be restored if fit to provide the leadership Okoli lacked the back. With deadline-day recruits like Jamaal Lascelles and Joe Aribo waiting in the wings, King has the ammunition to be ruthless.
Polarising defenders like Luke Thomas should never be safe. Yet fitness may dictate. Word is that City recruitment and or King are now suspicious over Jakub Stolarczyk too. The stopper is an unlikely omission though.
A new Leicester City lineup
Nonetheless, expect a 'new-look' LCFC side in England's second city. The current boss will eventually ditch a few underperformers who threaten to drag the club into a relegation dogfight.