The lighter January schedule should help Leicester City avoid too many fresh injuries as they look to recover those players who are on the sidelines.

After four games in 10 days around the festive period, City are now back to one game a week until mid-February. That should mean Enzo Maresca’s players are not pushed to breaking point and can maintain their fitness.

They can ill afford any new injuries at the moment with eight players out. Patson Daka and Harry Souttar are away representing Zambia and Australia respectively and if their countries go all of the way at the Africa Cup of Nations and Asian Cup, they may not play again until the home game with Middlesbrough on February 17.

The same is true for Kelechi Iheanacho, albeit an injury means he has not yet joined up with Nigeria for their Afcon campaign, the striker hoping to recover his fitness in time to play some part for the Super Eagles. Wilfred Ndidihas been completely ruled out of the tournament with a muscle injury to keep him on the sidelines potentially until early April.

Ndidi’s long absence will mean more opportunities for other midfielders, so young prospect Will Alves could profit. The teenager, who has not featured since playing 90 minutes for City’s Under-21s in early December, is perhaps the closest to returning to action of City’s injured players, having been spotted in training at the end of last week.

“Will is getting better and he’s close to joining us for the entire session,” Maresca said at the end of last week. If he comes through training well this week, he could be on the bench at Coventry.

Ahead of the clash with Rotherham in the final game before Christmas, Maresca said he expected Jamie Vardy (knee) and Kasey McAteer (hamstring) to be out for one or two more weeks, but a fortnight on they continue to be absent, albeit McAteer was spotted in training just after Christmas. After missing the trip to Ipswich, Maresca had expected Dennis Praet to return against Cardiff in the final game of 2023, but he was unavailable again, and was not in the squad against Huddersfield or Millwall.

Maresca will give another update on the fitness of his squad later this week. He is due to sit down with the media to preview the M69 derby with Coventry on Friday lunchtime.