Leicester City boss reveals exactly why Ndidi was left on the bench in defeat to Arsenal

Leicester City have the fourth-worst defensive record in the English Premier League after ten matches with seventeen goals conceded.

Only Newcastle United (23), Burnley (23) and Watford (18) have shipped in more goals than the King Power Stadium outfit.

Manager Brendan Rodgers believes that the reliable holding midfielder Wilfred Ndidi can make the Foxes defence stronger when he returns to the starting lineup.

After five weeks on the sidelines, the Nigeria international was named in the matchday squad against Arsenal on Saturday afternoon and most Leicester City fans expected that he would be given minutes off the bench.

But with the Foxes in search of goals, Rodgers introduced three attack-minded players as substitutes in the second half, namely Ademola Lookman, Harvey Barnes and Patson Daka, and a planned substitution to bring on Ndidi for at least fifteen minutes was cancelled.

Asked at the post-match press conference if the potential return of Ndidi to the starting XI can make the Leicester defence stronger, Rodgers told reporters : "Hopefully, he's just trained this week. He was one that if we were needing him for fifteen to twenty minutes maximum, that was our plan for today.

"But obviously we are chasing the game so there wasn't that need to put him on.

"It's great to have him back and available and we'll see how his fitness looks over the coming days."

Leicester City's next game comes up against Spartak Moscow in the Europa League and Ndidi is available for the clash after serving a one-game ban for the red card he received against Napoli on matchday one.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel