Leicestershire

Leicester City head coach Marti Cifuentes spoke to BBC Radio Leicester after Saturday's 3-2 defeat by Sheffield United.

"It was below any standard, far from the standards that I want to set for the club," he said.

"It was extremely disappointing how we spoke over the last couple of days about reacting strong after what happened on Tuesday, about the importance of starting on the front foot the first 15 or 20 minutes at home, at our place, and we did just the opposite.

"It was just embarrassing to see some of the mistakes and it was below any kind of standards. It's very frustrating.

"The main thing that was in my mind [at 2-0 down after four minutes] was that this is not the reaction we had been working on to show to our fans.

"It was very important to get them on board in the first minutes, to show them that what happened on Tuesday was an accident, and again I think was very disappointing to concede another two goals from set plays. But in the first four minutes to go 2-0 down is simply unacceptable."

Marti Cifuentes has highlighted the importance of Leicester looking inwards amid a tight Championship table at this stage in the season.

The Foxes boss told BBC Radio Leicester: "I think the most important thing is to focus on ourselves.

"Obviously, the position in the table, it helps to understand where you are in terms of performances but when you see how tight, how competitive it is in this division, you understand that small edges are so important."

Leicester currently sit 15th in the Championship with 24 points from 17 games but a win against Sheffield United on Saturday could close the gap to the sides currently occupying the play-off spots.

Cifuentes continued: "It's very important again to look at ourselves, how we can improve our level during the games, how we can pick up that consistency during the games and from game to game.

"That's where my focus is because... we don't want the difference at the top of table and us to increase. Just the opposite. But at the same time for me the most important thing is to make sure the team improves then I know that this will reflect on the table."

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Leicester City defender Caleb Okoli has been ruled out for up to six weeks with a knee injury.

The 24-year-old Italian last featured for the Foxes in the 2-1 win at Norwich City before the international break.

The club had hoped to have him back in the short-term, but scans have revealed that Okoli now faces an extended period out.

"We were waiting for some tests to get an answer when he could be ready, but unfortunately those tests came back with news that he will be away for few weeks with a knee injury," Leicester boss Marti Cifuentes told BBC Radio Leicester.

"That is where we are at the moment. It's difficult to say if he will be available before or after Christmas, but it will be around that."

Cifuentes also said Jakub Stolarczyk could be brought back into the squad for Saturday's game against Sheffield United after a spell out with a groin injury.

"He has been feeling better," Cifuentes said. "We're going to have a discussion and make the decision."

Both Leicester City and Sheffield United will be vying for a much needed ascent up the table when they meet at the King Power Stadium on Saturday (12:30 GMT)

Not many would have expected the two teams to be lingering at the bottom half of the table at the start of the season but while fortunes seem to be abandoning one, the other appears to finally be seeing some light.

The Blades have dragged themselves out of the bottom three following two successive 3-0 wins and will be hoping their season has finally kicked into gear.

Whereas Leicester succumbed to a difficult 3-0 defeat to Southampton last time out and are awaiting news of a possible points deduction that would make a promotion push even tougher.

• Leicester City are unbeaten in each of their last eight league games against Sheffield United (W6 D2), winning the last five in a row.

• Sheffield United have won just one of their last eight away league games against Leicester City (D2 L5), with this their first visit since a 5-0 loss in March 2021.

• Leicester have lost just one of their last 10 home league games (W5 D4), with no side in the Championship this season drawing more home games than the Foxes (4).

• After beating Sheffield Wednesday 3-0, Sheffield United are looking to record successive away league wins for the first time since March last season (run of six).

• Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder has lost all three of his managerial league games against Leicester, all in the Premier League from August 2019 to December 2020. He has only faced Liverpool (6), Man City (5), and Southampton (5) more without ever avoiding defeat in his career as a manager in the top four tiers.