Gary Rowett reveals Jamaal Lascelles situation he is ‘desperate’ for at Leicester City | OneFootball

Gary Rowett has opened up on why Jamaal Lascelles has endured a lack of game time at Leicester City

Leicester City winter signing Jamaal Lascelles hasn't featured for the Foxes since making a substitute appearance in their 2-0 defeat to Norwich City at the end of last month.

Lascelles was instead an unused substitute when Gary Rowett's men drew 1-1 with Ipswich Town last Saturday and beat Bristol City 2-0 on Tuesday.

The Foxes are still in serious relegation danger, but a return of four points from their last two games sees them sitting above the drop zone on goal difference.

Leicester will look to build on their newfound momentum when they host Queens Park Rangers at the King Power Stadium this Saturday.

Gary Rowett reveals reason behind Jamaal Lascelles' lack of game time at Leicester City

Lascelles has not started for Rowett's side since making his debut in a 2-1 defeat to Birmingham City on 7 February, with the Foxes instead trusting fellow centre-backs Ben Nelson and Caleb Okoli.

However, Lascelles would have expected to be a key asset for the King Power Stadium club, having proven his worth in the Premier League with his former club, Newcastle United.

Discussing the defender's lack of minutes since joining the East Midlands outfit, Rowett told Leicestershire Live: "Generally, as a centre-half, the more you build that confidence in your defensive shape, then people like Ben start to keep improving his performances.

"I thought at Ipswich they were excellent and then were really good again (against Bristol City)."

Jamaal Lascelles still has a key role to play in Leicester City relegation battle

Leicester's relegation worries have been significantly exacerbated by their six-point deduction, but the Foxes would still be in the drop zone conversation regardless.

Their chances of avoiding the drop to League One have been hindered by the fact that they have one of the worst defensive records in the Championship.

Only Queens Park Rangers, who have lost four games on the bounce, and Sheffield Wednesday, who have already been relegated amid severe mitigating factors, have conceded more goals than Leicester in the second tier this term.

Therefore, Lascelles, who has excellent leadership skills, as alluded to by Rowett, is set to help his side's backline continue stabilising between now and the end of the season.

Fellow centre-backs Ben Nelson and Caleb Okoli did a remarkable job to ensure that the Foxes conceded just one goal against promotion contenders Ipswich, to come away from Portman Road with an important draw.

Rowett's current defensive duo then did even better to maintain a clean sheet in their victory against Bristol City.

However, Leicester's overall defensive record suggests that they will start leaking goals again, and that eventuality would make Rowett turn to the reliable services of Lascelles.

The 32-year-old made over 250 appearances for Newcastle and was a key figure in their remarkable rise from the Championship to the Champions League.

He is likely to be a vital figure for the Foxes in their efforts to avoid relegation to League One at the business end of the season, while he is providing strong competition for Nelson and Okoli for now.