Brendan Rogers defends decision to play Ndidi after knee injury

Leicester City manager, Brendan Rogers has defended the decision to feature Wilfred Ndidi in a game just 13 days after he picked up a knee injury.

Ndidi who was returned to action just two weeks after he had a successful knee surgery, was said to have had an "incredible recovery" by Rogers.

However, just after games against West Ham and Aston Villa, the knee became inflamed which will now see the Nigerian International miss the club's game against Manchester City.

“Medically, he passed the tests and measures to show he was okay,” said Rodgers.

“He had played a game and a half. He came on here after half an hour against West Ham and came through that. Then he played in the other game [in the Carabao Cup second leg v Villa].

“From a manager’s perspective, you’re guided by medics and himself. He just didn’t quite get the right feeling going into the Chelsea game.”

”We can’t put any pressure on him to force him through,” added Rodgers. “I know that he’s the type of player who wants to play in every game.

“We just have to take our time with him and make sure he’s right for the next time he comes back.

“It’s a case of, he had a bone that’s been there in his knee, in that meniscus, and that gets taken out. Initially he responded well to that, training and playing. But since then there’s been a slight reaction to the knee not having that in there. That’s just around the individual player.

“We don’t want to force it. He’s doing various exercises, jumping up and down and moving and all of that. We could easily just fire him in, but we have to make sure he’s right, and for that I’ll be guided by our medical team, who are very good.”