After a debut victory as Leicester City manager, Ruud van Nistelrooy might quite like to field an unchanged line-up this weekend.
But he can’t. Facundo Buonanotte is not eligible to face parent club Brighton, and so he has to make at least one tweak to his side.
There are three, maybe four options, for the new manager. The player fans would probably like to see is Stephy Mavididi, but there would be question marks over whether he fits into the system.
With Kasey McAteer operating as the winger who stays wide, Mavididi would have to play as a wide-man who comes inside, joining Bilal El Khannouss as a second number 10. Can he take on that role? He did in pre-season, but Steve Cooper rarely used him that way once the competitive matches began. It feels like he is better down the flanks in one-on-ones with full-backs.
Bobby De Cordova-Reid and Jordan Ayew are perhaps more suited to the specifics of that role and they will be contenders to start. De Cordova-Reid may have the upper hand for now, having been introduced before Ayew in Tuesday’s victory, with only a marginal offside denying the Jamaican his first goal for the club.
The final option would be a curveball, but it’s not out of the question. Will Alves has been training with the first team and was not in the City squad for the under-21s’ fixture against Nottingham Forest on Friday night.
Van Nistelrooy would have got a glimpse at his talents during the Carabao Cup tie at Old Trafford a few weeks ago, when Alves came on as a second-half substitute. If he liked what he saw, Alves could be a surprise pick, although a place on the bench is more likely.
Elsewhere, changes are not expected. Jamie Vardy has been declared fit to play a third game in nine days, while van Nistelrooy was impressed with the performance on Tuesday night.
If there is to be a further alteration to the 11, it would probably be at centre-back. Wout Faes replaced Jannik Vestergaard on the hour mark on Tuesday and if van Nistelrooy feels more pace is needed in the back-line, he could turn to the Belgian.
City predicted line-up (4-2-3-1): Hermansen; Justin, Coady, Vestergaard, Kristiansen; Ndidi, Soumare; McAteer, De Cordova-Reid, El Khannouss; Vardy.
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