Leicester City: Vestergaard blow could be a blessing in disguise: View | OneFootball

Leicester City fell to a disappointing defeat at Leeds United on Friday night, with Enzo Maresca’s men now only six points clear of third place.

Of course, there’s no reason to panic just yet, and the performance at Elland Road may even offer encouragement for the run-in, as the Foxes were much better than Leeds for large parts, and they would likely have gone on to pick up three points had the officials not wrongly disallowed a Patson Daka goal.

Nevertheless, the pressure is starting to build, and the spotlight will be on the team when they host QPR this weekend.

Jannik Vestergaard facing two-game suspension

Maresca will have to do without Vestergaard for the R’s visit, as the giant centre-back picked up his tenth booking of the season against Leeds, which brings a two-game suspension that applies to league games.

Normally, you’d struggle to think of any positives for Leicester in this situation, as they’re going to be missing a player who has featured in 32 Championship games this season.

Vestergaard has been a strong presence at the back, with his aerial ability helping the side, and he has also been key to the way Maresca wants to play in terms of building out from the back.

Conor Coady’s leadership will help Leicester

However, now could be the ideal time for Conor Coady to step up for the Foxes.

With Callum Doyle and Ben Nelson also available to partner Wout Faes in central defence, Maresca does have options. But, Coady has something over those two that should give him an advantage - his leadership qualities.

As mentioned, this is the first time in a long time that it feels the pressure is on Leicester.

Some fans have questioned the mentality of the group, and whilst it may seem harsh to a side sitting top of the table, there is some justification for those complaints.

Leeds’ turnaround was not the first time that Leicester have dropped points late on, with games against Ipswich Town ones that stand out.

Plus, the manner of the loss at Elland Road was concerning. As soon as the equaliser went in, the momentum shifted and the East Midlands couldn’t stand firm.

It’s in situations like this where Coady can help.

The 31-year-old has plenty of experience, which includes winning promotion at this level with Wolves.

As well as that, he’s extremely vocal on the pitch, and that reassuring presence is what some of the Leicester players could need.

Whether it’s organising his teammates in terms of where they need to position themselves, or simply offering encouragement, Coady will be making demands that keep the standards high.

There’s no doubt that Vestergaard is more complete as a defender than Coady, and his performances on the whole this season have been very impressive.

Yet, in the upcoming games against QPR and Sunderland, Maresca’s men will need to show character and a strong mentality as they look to get their title push back on track.