Monday 3 April 2017 15:33, UK
Leicester boss Craig Shakespeare has confirmed he has not made any special plans to cope with the threat posed by Sunderland striker Jermain Defoe.
The Black Cats travel to the King Power Stadium on Tuesday night hoping to make inroads on the eight-point gap between themselves and Premier League survival.
Defoe has scored 14 league goals in a struggling side this season and will be key to any hopes Sunderland may have of avoiding relegation.
Shakespeare - who became the first English manager to win his first four Premier League matches with victory over Stoke at the weekend - acknowledges the threat posed by the 34-year-old.
But he will not afford any special treatment to the player who scored the winning goal in the reverse fixture at the Stadium Of Light in December and also scored on his return to the England fold.
"We have spoken about Jermain Defoe in our preparation and we know what kind of threat he can be. His record speaks for itself but we won't man-mark him," said Shakespeare.
"I was pleased to see him back in the England squad and he took his goal really well. Any team that has Jermain Defoe in it will be dangerous and we must keep him quiet.
"But he is not the only dangerous player Sunderland have. They showed what they can do by winning 4-0 at Crystal Palace a few weeks ago.
"We've been in the same situation as Sunderland, down there fighting for your lives when the games are starting to run out.
"It will be a close game again, I think, and we respect Sunderland but we are in a good place at the moment."
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