Leicester to be without three key players for Sunderland fixture after Leeds United loss

Leicester will be without defender Jannik Vestergaard for next week’s Championship match against Sunderland after the centre-back received his 10th yellow card of the season.

The 31-year-old centre-back has started 32 of the Foxes’ 34 league games this season, with only goalkeeper Mads Hermansen and midfielder Harry Winks starting more, but will be unavailable for Saturday’s home game against QPR and next week’s fixture against Sunderland on Tuesday, November 5.

Leicester are preparing for Tuesday’s FA Cup match at Bournemouth, with Vestergaard available for the match at the Vitality Stadium as his suspension doesn’t include the FA Cup.

Leicester striker Jamie Vardy also looks set to miss the match against Sunderland with a groin issue, which meant he was unavailable for his side’s 3-1 defeat at Leeds last week. Asked how long Vardy would be sidelined for, Foxes boss Enzo Maresca told BBC Radio Leicester: “I don’t know. He will be out for a while. I don’t know exactly how long.”

Vardy has scored 10 Championship goals in 23 league appearances this season, including four in his last four appearances. The Foxes will also be without midfielder Wilfred Ndidi against Sunderland due to a leg injury.

The Black Cats are preparing for Saturday’s match against Norwich, with Dan Ballard set to serve the second match of his two-game suspension for picking up 10 yellow cards this season. Ballard’s centre-back partner Luke O’Nien is on nine yellow cards and would be suspended for games against Leicester and Southampton if he is booked against Norwich.