(Reuters) – Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy could return from a calf injury for Monday’s Premier League home game against Aston Villa, manager Brendan Rodgers said on Friday.
Vardy, 33, is the league’s joint top goal scorer this season with 17 goals alongside Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, but he missed Leicester’s last two matches due to a calf injury.
“He’s looked very good in training and he’s still on track for Monday,” Rodgers told reporters. “We’re hoping that the measures we have in place behind the scenes will help him.
“He’s a very important player for the club and has been for a number of years, particularly since I arrived here. It’s very important he’s available for us for this final part of the season.”
However, left back Ben Chilwell is a doubt after straining his hamstring in Wednesday’s FA Cup fifth round win over Birmingham City.
“We might have to have a look at Chilwell, it’s a hamstring twinge,” Rodgers added. “We will see how that is over the next few days.”
Leicester have won only one of their last seven league games but have maintained their grip on third place and Rodgers said they need to win “at least half” of their remaining 10 fixtures to ensure they qualify for the Champions League.
Fourth-placed Chelsea are five points behind Leicester.
“We’re going to need to win at least half of them and maybe more,” Rodgers said. “It’s something we’re ready to embrace. We’re in a brilliant position.
“There may have been a subconscious feeling among the players with the gap… That can happen to any team. We’re still well on track, in terms of our goal difference and everything we wanted to achieve.”
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