West Ham are without Jean-Clair Todibo tonight but Mohammed Kudus starts against Leicester after serving a five-match ban.
The centre-back sustained a minor knock in the 2-0 win over Newcastle on November and then complained of the same issue after Saturday’s 5-2 defeat to Arsenal.
Todibo has failed in his but to be fit for tonight’s trip to Leicester, who will be managed by new manager Ruud van Nistelrooy for the first time.
Lopetegui said on Monday: “We had a little problem in the last match with Todibo. Let’s see if he’s going to be available.
“He started having the problem in Newcastle. And he has that same problem. I think it’s not very important [severe], but let’s see. We don’t know exactly if he’s going to be available or not.”
There is again no Niclas Fullkrug, with the striker nearing a return following three months out with an Achilles tendon issue. The German has played just 63 minutes since joining the Hammers from Borussia Dortmund in the summer.
ButGhana winger Kudus is finally back available after serving an extended ban for violent conduct and getting himself sent off in October’s 4-1 defeat at Tottenham.
Lucas Paqueta has been cleared to play, and starts on the bench. He was originally due to miss the game in order to appear before the Brazilian parliament in a hearing into sports betting, only to be told he was no longer required to give evidence.
Confirmed team news
Leicester City XI: Hermansen, Justin, Vestergaard, Coady, Kristiansen, Soumare, Ndidi, McAteer, Buonanotte, El Khannous, Vardy
Subs: Ward, Faes, Okoli, Mavididi, De Cordova-Reid, Ayew, Daka, Skipp, Thomas
West Ham XI: Fabianski, Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Kilman, Coufal, Soucek, Alvarez, Bowen, Soler, Kudus, Ings
Subs: Foderingham, Summerville, Antonio, Lucas Paqueta, Fullkrug, Luis Guilherme, Rodriguez, Emerson Palmieri, Casey
Time and date: 8:15pm GMT tonight on Tuesday, December 3, 2024
Venue: King Power Stadium
TV channel and live stream: Amazon Prime
