Injured Leicester striker Jamie Vardy doubtful for first instalment of Liverpool double-header

Jamie Vardy is a key doubt for Leicester City's initial meeting with Liverpool on Tuesday (19 September) as Craig Shakespeare faces the likely prospect of being without four first-team players for an all-Premier League Carabao Cup third-round clash at the King Power Stadium.

The England forward netted Leicester's second-half equaliser from the penalty spot during a 1-1 draw with Huddersfield Town over the weekend, before a groin issue led to him being replaced by Islam Slimani eight minutes from time.

And while Shakespeare is extremely optimistic that Vardy will be fit to face Liverpool in the top-flight on Saturday, he will not risk such an influential player for the first of two quickfire meetings with Jurgen Klopp's side if he does not respond adequately to treatment.

"Jamie hasn't trained," he told reporters at his pre-match press conference on Monday. "I will give him every opportunity. He has a tight groin, and that is why he came off at Huddersfield.

"He has had continuous treatment and we will give him every opportunity to be fit but he won't be one to risk. We will assess him tomorrow morning, but I am very confident he will be fit for Saturday."

Versatile defender Christian Fuchs will also be sidelined for that opening contest with Liverpool as he continues to recover from a freak eye problem sustained in training last week, while the previously injury-stricken Matty James could miss both matches with an tendon complaint suffered in the 2-1 defeat by Chelsea.

Leicester remain without centre-back Robert Huth, who is yet to feature this season following ankle surgery. Josh Knight, who made his senior debut in the second-round win at Sheffield United, and fellow youngster Hamza Choudhury will be included in the matchday squad.

Shakespeare remains hopeful that central midfielder Adrien Silva, a £22m ($24.9m) deadline day signing from Sporting Lisbon, will soon be given the green light to play for Leicester, even though the paperwork for his registration was received 14 seconds after the Fifa deadline had passed. The appeals process is ongoing and for now the father-to-be has returned to his native Portugal.

Asked for an update on the Silva saga, the manager told the Leicester Mercury: "It is a good question. I am not entirely sure. I was waiting for an update. The process is still in place. I was hoping for an update this morning, but hopefully when I get back to the training ground I will ask the question again. I am not sure which way it will go because I am not involved in that, so I am waiting but hopefully he will with us soon."

Shakespeare also revealed that contract negotiations with previously unsettled winger Demarai Gray, who attracted strong interest from both Tottenham Hotspur and Bournemouth during the recent transfer window, had reached their final stages.

"I'm expecting that to be completed sooner rather than later," he confirmed.