Leicester City vs Everton - Leicester striker Jamie Vardy begins ban and misses Everton clash
Posted Saturday, December 24, 2016 by PA
Jamie Vardy starts his three-match ban against Everton after Leicester failed to get his red card overturned.
The England striker was sent off in Saturday's 2-2 draw at Stoke and the Foxes did appeal against it but their claim was rejected by the Football Association.
Robert Huth and Christian Fuchs are also suspended as they collected their fifth bookings of the season against Stoke and will sit out the Everton clash on Boxing Day.
Danny Drinkwater could make his comeback after returning to training following a knee injury which has kept him out since he completed a three-game ban.
Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel has backed the Foxes to cope without the banned Vardy.
He said: "Obviously Vards is a massive influence for us. We always say in the dressing room that he's the one who sets the tempo from the front and the rest of the team follow.
"He's a miss but you can see that the players who came on against Stoke at the end made a massive difference. So I'm very confident in all the players in there and that whoever the manager chooses will step up and make a difference."
Everton midfielder James McCarthy will miss out with a hamstring problem which is likely to sideline him for at least a couple of weeks.
Goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg has a dead leg which forced him off in the Merseyside derby earlier this week and will not be considered unless he can train on Sunday.
Captain Phil Jagielka is available again after suspension.
"There was no reason not to start James against Liverpool but I am worried about his fitness and several muscle problems," boss Ronald Koeman said.
"Two years, one year ago he needed to improve the intensity of the whole week of a training programme and that is the next step for him.
"Fitness-wise we have a number of players who were stronger than they were and we showed that against Arsenal and Liverpool.
"Maybe the big teams have more players on the same level to make more rotations but for the individual player in my opinion they need a break.
"They play with their national teams, every competition, and I think stopping the league for at least one week (would be advisable)."
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