James Maddison and Harvey Barnes have been brought back into the Leicester City starting line-up for their crucial relegation showdown against West Ham, with Dean Smith making three changes.
Maddison and Barnes, the club’s top two scorers this season, were among the substitutes for Monday’s draw at Newcastle with Smith opting for a more defensive approach. But with City needing victory for survival, both have been returned to the team.
The duo will play in a front three, flanking Kelechi Iheanacho, with Smith reverting to a 4-3-3. Harry Souttar is the centre-back to make way, while Jamie Vardy also drops to the bench.
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The other player to come in is Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, the homegrown midfielder recovering from an ankle injury in time to make just his second start under Smith. He replaces Wilfred Ndidi, who hurt his hamstring at Newcastle, and joins Youri Tielemans and Boubakary Soumare in the centre of the pitch.
With Souttar left out, it’s Jonny Evans and Wout Faes forming the centre-back pairing, with Timothy Castagne and Luke Thomas at full-back. Ricardo Pereira has not recovered in time to start.
City (4-3-3): Iversen; Castagne, Faes, Evans, Thomas; Soumare, Tielemans, Dewsbury-Hall; Maddison, Iheanacho, Barnes. Subs: Smithies, Ricardo, Amartey, Souttar, Mendy, Praet, Tete, Vardy, Daka.
