Iheanacho set to return from injury against Newcastle

Super Eagles forward Kelechi Iheanacho is ready to answer Leicester’s SOS call as they head to Newcastle with Premier League survival at stake.

The Nigerian – a hero of the Foxes’ FA Cup-winning campaign two years ago – has not played since sustaining a thigh injury in the 1-1 draw at Leeds on April 25, and Leicester have taken only one point from the three games since.

It was initially feared that Iheanacho would miss the rest of the season but the forward’s recovery has gone well and he trained this week – a stroke of good fortune for a club who need plenty. Depending on how Leeds, Everton and Nottingham Forest perform this weekend, Leicester might need to win at St James’ Park on Monday to avoid dropping into the Championship.

Despite an initial improvement under interim boss Dean Smith, Leicester are in the same spot they were when he arrived last month. They are 19th in the table, two points adrift of safety.

With seven players out of contract in the summer, Leicester fans have targeted the players with chants of ‘You’re not fit to wear the shirt,’ with midfielder Youri Tielemans finding himself in the firing line.

Smith said: ‘The players were demoralised by the last couple of results but before that there had been an upturn in performances. 

'The goals we gave away against Fulham and Liverpool were not good enough and we have been working on that.

‘I don’t need to pay homage to this group of players, who I inherited. I can criticise them if I feel I have to but I don’t because the work ethic is there.

‘The statistics I get from our performance department prove to me it’s there. The thing missing is clean sheets. 

'We have to be harder to beat. We need to get the basics right – but the players do care.’