In a recent interview (via Leicester Mercury), Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers revealed that Dennis Praet is set to be sidelined with a hamstring injury. The Foxes head coach said, “It looks that way (like a hamstring injury).
“It’s a shame. We wanted to get him 90 minutes today, and 90 minutes into a few of the boys that haven’t had them, the likes of Ayo (Perez), so it looks like a hamstring, which is a shame for him.”
Praet’s Growing Importance In Rodgers’ Squad
Praet is enjoying a solid season at the King Power Stadium, so this recent injury setback will be a bitter pill to swallow for anyone associated with the East Midlands club ahead of a busy few weeks in Premier League football.
The 26-year-old has been a valuable squad player under Brendan Rodgers’ stewardship this season as he has produced some impressive performances despite playing a bit-part role in the Leicester first-team. The Belgian midfield ace has registered two goals and two assists in 21 matches for the Foxes this term across all competitions.
Praet has given a good account of himself in Europe where he is averaging 1.3 tackles, 0.7 interceptions, 1.0 shots, 0.8 key passes and 0.8 dribbles per 90 minutes in the UEFA Europa League group stages. He has even been tidy when distributing possession from midfield after making 81.6% of his attempted passes in European football (stats via whoscored).
What Does The Belgian International Bring To The Table?
Praet has got moderate pace in his locker and can make some driving runs with and without the ball from midfield. He is also not shy about getting stuck in with a few tackles to earn possession back for this team. The nine-time Belgian international loves to have a shot at goal when he is afforded time and space by the opposition. However, he needs to be more consistent with his overall productivity in the final third if he wants to become a household name in English football.
Praet Suffers A Hamstring Injury: Big Blow For Rodgers?
Now that Praet has picked up a hamstring injury, it seems like he is set for a period on the sidelines which will be a huge blow for the Foxes going into the second half of this campaign. With some tricky fixtures coming up against the likes of Southampton, Chelsea, Everton and Leeds United respectively, Rodgers could have used someone of Praet’s skill set as a rotational piece in midfield.
However, the Belgian’s injury has taken away that luxury leaving Leicester with Wilfred Ndidi, Youri Tielemans and Hamza Choudhury as their central midfield options. James Maddison’s return could boost their creativity a bit going forward in the absence of Praet, which might ease Rodgers’ worries in the coming weeks.
