Pearson & other injury news

[davieG]

Leicester City manager Nigel Pearson is to battle through the pain of a suspected slipped disc to take his place in the away dug-out at the Cardiff City Stadium tonight.

The 46-year-old has been in severe pain for a week and was expected to undergo a scan yesterday to determine the extent of the problem.

Normally, Pearson patrols the edge of his technical area during games, barking instructions at his team, but he was forced to take a watching brief at Pride Park on Saturday as his side suffered a 1-0 defeat.

However, assistant manager Craig Shakespeare said Pearson would not let the pain keep him away from overseeing his side's bid to return to winning ways against the Bluebirds after picking up just one point from their last three games.

"He was struggling on Saturday," said Shakespeare.

"He was in so much pain after the game against Reading that he did well to make it to Derby.

"I am sure, knowing Nigel, he will be there tonight. We spoke on Sunday and, unless he tells me differently, I am 100 per cent sure he will be at Cardiff."

Besides himself, Pearson has several other injury concerns ahead of the rearranged trip to south Wales, which is City's game in hand on their play-off rivals.

Bruno Berner will again be absent with a calf problem. His deputy, Ryan McGivern, missed the Derby clash after picking up a slight knock, so 40-year-old player-coach Chris Powell could make his third league start of the season. Midfielder Jay Spearing could make his first start since arriving on loan from Liverpool, but fellow loanee James Vaughan could again miss out because of a hamstring strain.

The 21-year-old has had only 30 minutes of action since joining from Everton, ironically against Cardiff in the 1-0 win at the Walkers Stadium just over two weeks ago.

"James is touch and go," said Shakespeare. "He has had a bit of an illness with a stomach upset and he has had other things, and he hasn't been quite ready.

"We don't want to ask him to do anything he is not capable of yet. He is one we will have to monitor before every game.

"He wasn't ready for Derby and we will have to monitor it to see if he is ready for Cardiff.

"He is desperate to have an influence and be part of Leicester, and be part of what we are trying to achieve.

"He is getting very frustrated but we have to try to keep his head up. He wants to do well, but we have to manage him.

"Jay has been patient during the last couple of games. It is always difficult when a player comes in and you have been doing fairly well with results.

"He has had a look at it now and there is a possibility that he could make his full debut at Cardiff.

"Ryan had a slight knock, but he hasn't played a lot of football recently. He is only 19 and we felt it was the right thing to give him a breather on Saturday. Bruno will be another week but we do have Chris Powell.

"He still trains fully with the squad and on Saturday you couldn't tell he was 40.

"He never lets you down, has a great attitude and fitness, and he is a credit to himself."