Brendan Rodgers believes Jamie Vardy could be back in time for Leicester's winner-takes-all Carabao Cup semi-final against Aston Villa on Tuesday.
Vardy damaged a glute during the 4-1 win over West Ham on Wednesday and will not feature in Saturday's FA Cup fourth-round tie at Brentford - though he would not have played even if fit with Leicester certain to rotate.
Yet Rodgers refused to rule out Vardy being involved at Villa Park, with the winner guaranteed to advance to Wembley after a 1-1 draw in the first leg.
'He can't play at the weekend and will be a question mark for Tuesday,' said Rodgers. 'It's not as serious as what we thought; not a hamstring.
'We are hopeful for Tuesday but there is a little bit of work to do over the course of the next few days. He will get some work in with the medical team over the weekend.'
Vardy turned 33 earlier this month but Rodgers feels the Premier League's top scorer has many fruitful years ahead of him.
He did not break into League football until joining Leicester from Fleetwood Town in 2012 - in contrast to the majority of top strikers who have been playing high-level football since their teenage years.
Rodgers added: 'He maybe doesn't have so many miles on the clock as other players who break in at the age of 16 or 17.
'I can only judge what I see now. Looking at him, his fitness, his speed and his understanding means if he can stay fit he can play for a number of years at a really high level.
'He is 33 and has a good lifestyle, looking after himself. Some players can be written off after the age of 30, but between 30 and 35 they can be a great asset as long as they lead the right lifestyle.'
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Vardy is a beast👀