Brendan Rodgers is not worried by what he sees as a temporary dip in Leicester City's form, as the Foxes head into a Premier League clash with struggling Sheffield United.
Leicester have lost three of their four matches in all competitions since returning from the final international break of 2020, while they drew their other match with Braga 3-3 thanks to a last-gasp Jamie Vardy equaliser.
The Foxes, who sit fourth, would have still moved level with Premier League joint-leaders Tottenham and Liverpool had they beaten Fulham at home on Monday, yet they slipped to a surprise 2-1 reverse.
Rodgers' team then went down to Zorya Luhansk in Ukraine, but he is unconcerned by the run.
"We now arrive into a tough game at the weekend but that was what the season was going to be for us," Rodgers said, via LeicestershireLive. "Am I concerned? No, not really. We're disappointed. But we've got such a long way to go in the season.
"It's not concerning. It's going to be the season. We have so many games and we've had a number of players injured."
Rodgers was able to welcome back Wilfred Ndidi, Ricardo Pereira and Caglar Soyuncu on Thursday, though the latter went off injured after 17 minutes.
Chris Wilder's side, meanwhile, sit at the bottom of the table without a win, and the Blades' coach put their injury issues down to bad luck.
"If we were picking up all sorts of strains and pulls, then obviously you'd have to say something different. Then, we'd have to say the problem was probably coming 'in house' as it were," he said, via The Sheffield Star. "But that's not how it is at all. The lads are always in good shape, physically. I don't see what we can do about concussions and cuts, for example, because it's a contact sport and we have to be competitive."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Sheffield United – Oli McBurnie
McBurnie has had almost twice as many shots as any other Blades player in the Premier League this season (19), though he has yet to find the net so far in 2020-21. Wilder needs that frustrating run to end quickly.
Leicester City – Ricardo Pereira
Pereira had established himself as one of the best full-backs in the league before he sustained a serious injury midway through last season. He played 45 minutes against Zorya, though, and the former Porto man was thrilled to be back, telling BT Sport: "It's been a long journey for me. I'm very happy to be back playing with the guys. I hope only good things will happen from here."
KEY OPTA FACTS
• Leicester have won each of their last five meetings with Sheffield United in all competitions, including both Premier League games last term.
• Sheffield United are one of just three teams in English top-flight history to have won one point or fewer from their opening 10 games to a season, after Manchester United (0 in 1930-31) and West Bromwich Albion (1 in 1985-86).
• No side has scored fewer Premier League goals this season than Sheffield United (four), and 22 per cent of their total shots this season came in their 0-1 defeat at West Bromwich Albion last time out (21/95).
• Leicester have lost consecutive Premier League games for the sixth time under Rodgers – they have not lost three in a row in the competition since their final three under Claude Puel in February 2019.
• Since the start of last season, Sheffield United keeper Aaron Ramsdale has conceded more goals from outside the box than any other goalkeeper in the Premier League (13).
• No player has scored more goals away from home in the Premier League this season than Leicester's Jamie Vardy, with seven of his eight goals so far coming on the road.
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