Team news and likely starting XI for Leicester City vs Liverpool

Will it be a 4-4-2, 4-2-3-1 or a completely different formation? Whatever the formation and tactics, Leicester City will want to make the best possible start to their post-Claudio Ranieri era when they host Liverpool at the King Power Stadium in a crucial English Premier League match on Monday.

Arsene Wenger for Leicester City?

With Ranieri now, unfortunately, a part of Leicester's history, after the Italian was let go by the owners last week, the Foxes will begin a new era, with the primary focus in the first part of that era being avoiding relegation.

The Leicester management haven't been able to name a new manager yet, so Craig Shakespeare will be the man in charge for this match against Liverpool, and it will be interesting to see if the caretaker manager retains his faith in the players who have underperformed so much this season.

Shakespeare will want to use the resources of his entire squad for as long as he is at the helm – some reports even suggest it could be until the end of the season – and the interim manager is hopeful of his two strikers – Leonardo Ulloa and Islam Slimani – being fit for this match against Jurgen Klopp's side.

Slimani is yet to start a single game for Leicester City since returning to club football from the Africa Cup of Nations, with the Algeria international struggling with a groin problem. Ulloa is a doubt for this game with a muscle injury.

One player who will definitely not be a part of this Premier League match is defender Molla Wague, who has been ruled out with a shoulder injury, picked up in the FA Cup loss to Millwall, one of the disappointing results that eventually led to Ranieri's sacking.

Liverpool might think Leicester are ripe for the picking, what with there being no manager and all, but Klopp will know, quite often, the loss of a manager, can galvanise a team and bring out the fighting qualities in the players.

So, Klopp will know his players need to be at their best, with the manager set to name his strongest possible playing XI.

In that playing XI, Dejan Lovren could miss out again, with the defender still struggling to recover from a knee injury. Daniel Sturridge is another doubt, due to illness, even if Ragnar Klavan has recovered sufficiently to possibly play a part.

Captain Jordan Henderson was a late withdrawal, with the midfielder ruled out with a foot injury.

Danny Ings and Marko Grujic remain long-term absentees.

Likely starting XI:

Leicester City: Schmeichel; Simpson, Morgan, Huth, Fuchs; Drinkwater, Ndidi; Albrighton, Mahrez, Gray; Vardy.

Liverpool: Mignolet; Clyne, Lucas, Matip, Milner; Lallana, Can, Wijnaldum; Mane, Firmino, Coutinho.