Leicester suffer huge Premier League survival blow as 'big talent' ruled out for season

Abdul Fatawu suffered a genu wounded playing for Ghana successful Angola past week and the 20-year-old - who has caught the oculus of Gary Lineker this word with his displays - won't play again this season

Steve Cooper says Leicester City can’t get down astir Abdul Fatawu’s semipermanent absence.

The Foxes’ brag was deed with the quality the promising 20-year-old winger had suffered an ACL wounded portion playing for Ghana against Angola past week. Fatawu has caught the oculus this play - astir notably that of Leciester instrumentality and Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker who has been singing the winger’s praises.

But Cooper says his squad needs to enactment that to the backmost of their minds up of Enzo Maresca’s instrumentality with Chelsea connected Saturday. He said: “It’s not bully quality - it’s serious. It’s an ACL wounded that volition regularisation him retired for the remainder of the season.

“It’s a existent stroke - archetypal and foremost for him - to hap astatine specified a young property arsenic well. He’s evidently a large endowment and arsenic an breathtaking a endowment arsenic tin be. He’s young and has a batch to larn but helium was connected a travel stepping into the Premier League and showing the imaginable helium has.

“It’s lone a intermission successful his career. As dfficult arsenic it is for him, it’s important helium comes backmost stronger. But we can’t dwell connected these situations.

“You won’t get immoderate negativity from maine oregon astir the club. We’ll usage this an an accidental to amusement however beardown the squad is.”

Lady Luck has not smiled down connected Cooper during the planetary break. As good arsenic Fatawu, Jordan Ayew returned with a genu wounded with Ghana reporting ‘serious issues’ though they were played down during the pre-match briefing. Ricardo Pereira has already been ruled retired for 4 months with a hamstring teardrop and Facundo Buonanotte is suspended aft picking up 5 yellowish cards.

Cooper added: “It’s the quality of the beast successful the Premier League. Of course, you ever privation a afloat acceptable squad competing for places but that can’t ever beryllium the case. We’re going done a signifier of wounded astatine the infinitesimal - but I don’t privation immoderate negativity.

“It volition bring america person together. To amusement who we are. We person to rotation up our sleeves, instrumentality unneurotic and ain the garment and the badge.”

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