Leicester City manager Craig Shakespeare has suggested that his side have been unlucky with injuries towards the conclusion of the 2016/17 Premier League season.
The Foxes currently have only 16 senior players available for selection ahead of the visit of Mauricio Pochettino's Tottenham Hotspur to the King Power Stadium on Thursday night. The likes of Nampalys Mendy and Molla Wague have all been consigned to the injury table for some time - recently been joined by Robert Huth, Wes Morgan and Danny Drinkwater.
Midfielder Andy King has also been ruled-out due to a hamstring problem sustained in the 2-1 defeat to Manchester City last weekend. Shakespeare has stated that "other people [will] get their opportunities" during the last two games of the season as a result of the absences.
Lengthy injury list
Talking ahead of the match against Spurs, the 53-year-old said that "injuries have caught up" with his side having competed in four separate competitions throughout the 2016/17 campaign: the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, EFL Cup and the FA Cup.
Nonetheless, the Englishman did stress that his side would "be doing enough to make sure we [Leicester] are competitive" in the match.
Shakespeare also went into specific details about the set-backs suffered by his players and when he expects each to be back in action. He said: "Wes [Morgan] won't be ok, Robert [Huth] is out along with Drinkwater, Mendy, and Andy King joins the long list."
'Light at the end of the tunnel'
Despite the East-Midlanders' numerous injury worries, the Foxes' boss suggested that some could return for the final game of the Premier League season against Bournemouth.
He said: "Robert [Huth] and Kingy [Andy King] have a chance for the last game, but I won't put any pressure on Wes [Morgan]. Maybe I put him under pressure. When he's ready he'll want to play."
Shakespeare highlighted that the outgoing champions will aim for a top-ten finish during the final two matches of the campaign. The Foxes currently sit in 11th position in the Premier League.
Shakespeare said that "the players can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
"I expect us to have a real good go, to finish as high as we can," he continued.