As Burnley forward Matej Vydra turned the Leicester defence this way and that, a man who would have stopped him with little fuss was watching from the West Stand at King Power Stadium, patiently signing autographs and posing for selfies.
Say what you like about the FA Cup winners’ early-season wobble, the impact of the absence of Wesley Fofana – one of the best young defenders in Europe – cannot be overstated.
Signed for £32million in summer 2020, Fofana fractured his fibula and damaged ankle ligaments during a pre-season friendly against Villarreal and will not play a significant part in this campaign.
The impact of the absence of Wesley Fofana on Leicester this season cannot be overstated
If Fofana had stayed fit and progressed at the same rate as last season, Leicester would probably have been offered more for him next summer than the £80m Manchester United paid for Harry Maguire two years ago.
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Throw in the injuries to Jonny Evans, who has an ongoing foot problem, and James Justin, who damaged cruciate knee ligaments last February, and it is easy to see why Leicester have conceded 12 goals in the league this season. Only Leeds, Newcastle and Norwich have let in more.
If Vydra, who has only nine goals in 90 Premier League appearances, can cause Leicester so much trouble, what might Cristiano Ronaldo do when Manchester United arrive on Saturday?
Boss Brendan Rodgers has built one of the finest teams in the Leicester’s history since taking charge from Claude Puel in February 2019, with the club drifting.
They won the FA Cup for the first time in their 137-year existence last season and finished fifth – trading blows with far wealthier clubs – in both the manager’s two full seasons at the helm, also winning the Community Shield this year.
James Justin (left) and Jonny Evans (right) are also suffering with their own injuries
Jannik Vestergaard (left), a £15million summer signing from Southampton, has struggled – his lack of pace exposed by counter-attacking teams
The individual talent in the squad should ensure that they improve on their patchy start yet finding a cohesive defensive structure is top priority for Rodgers. After Leicester had thrown away a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 at Crystal Palace, it was instructive to hear Rodgers say he had had little confidence they would keep their advantage.
Though he has alternated between a back three and a back four, the Foxes have not kept a clean sheet in the league since their 1-0 win over Wolves on the opening day of the season – and that was due more to Adama Traore’s poor finishing than their own solidity at the back.
Jannik Vestergaard, a £15million summer signing from Southampton, has struggled, his lack of pace exposed by counter-attacking teams. With Caglar Soyuncu also out of form, the defence is making the rest of the team jittery, leading to mistakes in possession.
To make matters trickier, there will be no Wilfred Ndidi against United either. Ndidi, one of the leading holding midfielders in the division, also missed the Palace game with a hamstring injury and may not be back until next month.
Leicester’s new £100m training ground is a key selling point when attracting new players
However, at the 185-acre site at Seagrave, there is necessarily greater separation between the various departments and some feel it will take time to recreate the spirit of their old home
Rodgers hopes desperately that Evans will be available soon, though Northern Ireland coach Ian Baraclough caused alarm when he said the 33-year-old ‘has not only got to think about his foot for the rest of his career but for after football as well.’
The next move may be to switch Timothy Castagne into a back three, with Ricardo Pereira at right wing-back and, given Ryan Bertrand’s problems after he caught Covid-19 on the eve of the season, Luke Thomas on the left.
As well as the defensive worries, it is worth highlighting a number of other issues which, in isolation, would be of limited importance – but which feel more significant when taken together.
Leicester’s new £100m training ground is spectacular, with facilities many of their rivals can only dream of and a key selling point when attracting new players. Rodgers is right to highlight its importance in the Foxes’ quest to reach the top table and stay there.
Yet Sportsmail understands some club employees miss the more homely atmosphere of Belvoir Drive, the smaller base in the heart of the city where players and staff at all levels were thrown together.
At the 185-acre site at Seagrave, there is necessarily greater separation between the various departments and some feel it will take time to recreate the spirit of their old home.
There was also the embarrassment of Kelechi Iheanacho being turned back by Polish border guards ahead of the 1-0 defeat at Legia Warsaw last month, because his documents were not in order. Though both sides were careful not to blame the other, it felt like an avoidable error.
Wembley match-winner Youri Tielemans has not recaptured the sublime form of last season and has still not signed a new contract, with his current one up at the end of next season.
Once a linchpin of Rodgers’ team, James Maddison (above) now struggles to get into it
Thank goodness for Jamie Vardy. As feisty as ever, Vardy is flying, with six goals already
Harvey Barnes has yet to score in the league and seems to miss his productive relationship on the left with Thomas, who has generally played second fiddle to Bertrand. Of the new signings, only on-loan Ademola Lookman has settled quickly, with Vestergaard, Bertrand, Boubakary Soumare and Patson Daka all fighting for form. And then there is James Maddison.
Once a linchpin of Rodgers’ team, Maddison now struggles to get into it. The club were willing to listen to offers for the playmaker over the summer though Arsenal, who were interested, were not prepared to match the starting price of £60m.
Soon after recovering from a hip problem, Maddison was left out of the line-up for the Cup Final and is thought to have made his disappointment clear to Rodgers during the build-up, with Rodgers then publicly discussing the player’s fitness levels soon afterwards. There have been suggestions – denied by Maddison’s camp – that the 24-year-old is still troubled by the hip, which has already flared twice in the last 16 months. A huge talent, Leicester need Maddison to rediscover his self-confidence and zest for the game.
Thank Goodness for Jamie Vardy. As feisty as ever, Vardy is flying, with six goals already, and is back in tandem with Iheanacho, who is much improved under Rodgers. Both scored at Palace, meaning Leicester have hit 29 goals in the 15 games they have started together since March. Though Rodgers prefers to use a single centre-forward, the case for Vardy and Iheanacho together is unanswerable.
If only everything were so simple for Leicester. Soon after the new training ground opened, the club’s owners detailed ambitious plans for the stadium and its surroundings, which would increase the capacity to 40,000 and feature seven new buildings.
Though Leicester’s foundations remain strong, repair work is needed and it must begin to show on Saturday.