Watford claim it is still unclear whether Almen Abdi’s season has been ended due to his on-going foot problems and expect to find out next week.

The club’s current player of the year has had a torrid time this season due to an unusual foot condition which has resulted in him not starting a match since August.

Abdi has been suffering with Plantar Fasciitis, which leads to unexpected sharp pains in his foot, for most of this season but he made a return to action last month and featured in four matches from the bench before being withdrawn 14 minutes after his introduction at Nottingham Forest last Thursday.

Head of medical Marco Cesarini had continually stressed Abdi’s recovery wasn’t complete and that there was the risk of him still suffering pains in his foot.

And Cesarini was again cautious when discussing Abdi’s injury.

Initially Cesarini only stated: “He will be unavailable for the Leicester game.”

When asked if the injury was long-term, he replied: “We are still assessing him and we will say something next week.”

The Hornets will certainly be without Abdi, Lewis McGugan and Essaid Belkalem for the trip to league-leaders Leicester City tomorrow (Saturday).

And Cesarini confirmed there were a few unnamed players who had minor knocks, adding: “There are just a few things but we have to wait until tomorrow (Friday) to decide.”

Leicester suffered the ultimate heartbreak in injury-time of their the Play-Off semi-final second leg against Watford in May when Anthony Knockaert’s penalty was saved and then the Hornets went straight up the other end and scored through Troy Deeney.

The Foxes have bounced back from the disappointment superbly and currently lead the Championship by ten points and have won their last nine league games.

“It is not only this season; I was also impressed with them last season,” head coach Beppe Sannino said.

“Leicester have not only been consistent this season but also last season, when they reached the Play-Off semi-final.”

On the memorable final moments at Vicarage Road in May, Sannino added: “We follow the Championship from Italy and there was a lot of talk about that game.”

Watford secured just their third win in 19 matches in all competitions against Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday, after a demoralising 4-2 defeat at Nottingham Forest earlier last week.

Sannino said: “The Brighton victory has given the lads confidence and it was good to see them smiling in the training sessions.

“In our job, you should be able to approach the work in the same way each week but you can understand that after a victory, your job is easier.”