Premiership: Taggart out for rest of season

Leicester have suffered another major setback with the news that injured defender Gerry Taggart will be sidelined for the rest of the season.

The Northern Ireland international had been earmarked to make a return to action in February, nine months after undergoing a knee operation.

But now the 31-year-old’s hopes of helping the Foxes in their battle against relegation from the Barclaycard Premiership have been shattered, and he is to have further surgery on the problem.

Taggart’s setback follows news that his fellow centre-back Gary Rowett is expected to be out for at least another three months after he underwent a second operation, also on knee trouble, last week.

City manager Dave Bassett said: ‘‘Gerry is going in soon for the same sort of operation as that Rowett has just had.

‘‘Taking into consideration the recovery time, getting back into full training and then building up to match fitness we would be very lucky to see Gerry at all by the end of the season and frankly I don’t think we will.’’

Taggart was a key member of the City side which stormed to the top of the Premiership last season, and his absence is a major reason for their startling decline in the past six months.

City have leaked goals at an alarming rate this season, and their frailty was again highlighted in Saturday’s 4-0 home drubbing by fellow strugglers Southampton.