Yahoo News Brendan Rodgers calls for FA Cup replays to be scrapped as Leicester cancel warm-weather training plans
Brendan Rodgers has scrapped plans for a warm-weather training camp due to fears over more fixture congestion.
Rodgers is the latest Premier League manager to recommend abolishing FA Cup replays, as a draw with Brentford on Saturday will wreck Leicester’s mid-winter-break.
Leicester will have no option but to play their replay on either February 4 or 5, days after a league clash with rivals Chelsea, before then returning to action against Wolves on Friday February 14.
The Premier League introduced the ‘winter break’ for this season, but Rodgers is unhappy with the schedulers as his players will have little time off to recharge following a hectic festive period.
When asked if he was considering a warm-weather camp for February, he said: “We couldn’t plan one because of the possibility of the replay.
"I think, ideally, there wouldn't be a replay, you would finish it there and then with a penalty shoot-out.
“If we’re playing a replay, we’re playing a replay. It will just diminish the time they can recover. We have our own internal plan so the players will get some recovery.
“We obviously have a big game on Tuesday at Villa [in the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg] so the reward is there that if you do your job, then you get an extra few days free.
"If you somehow don't, of course you're in after the Chelsea game and getting ready for the replay."
Rodgers is set to make changes to his squad for the fourth-round tie against the Championship promotion chasers, with Christian Fuchs, Wes Morgan, Hamza Choudhury and Filip Benkovic in contention to start.
And the Leicester manager has confirmed that striker Jamie Vardy is targeting a return for Tuesday’s second leg at Villa Park, after suffering a glute muscle injury.
Vardy, 33, suffered the injury in the 4-1 win over West Ham on Wednesday and will be given the weekend off to give himself the best chance of recovery.
Rodgers said: “We’re hopeful he will be ok for Tuesday, there's a little bit of work to do. He'll get some work in with the medical team. He'll stay with them for the weekend."
