Brendan Rodgers has confirmed three Leicester City players are being kept away from the squad as a precaution after showing symptoms of coronavirus.

The Foxes are due to visit Vicarage Road on Saturday to face Watford in a 12.30pm kick-off in the Premier League, but the match is now in doubt.

In his pre-match press conference, the Foxes boss said: "We've had a few players that have shown symptoms and signs (of coronavirus). We’ve followed procedures and (as a precaution) they have been kept away from the squad.

“We have a fantastic medical team here at the club that gives guidance to the players and staff and everyone. It’s been made pretty clear about what we should look out for.”

The threat of games being played behind closed doors or even the league being suspended now seems extremely likely, and the Foxes boss says that not having fans allowed in the ground is "not the same."

"Of course, from a football perspective, it would be a shame, but the public’s health is the most important aspect in all of this.

"Working in football, it’s about having that agility to move with what’s happening in football. We’re guided by football and federations. We have to press on with our work and prepare as normal.

"The game is all about the players and the fans. If you have one of those not there, it’s obviously not the same."

However, a more recent statement on the club's website suggests that the players self-isolating is merely a precaution and that a seven-day period of isolation was sufficient.

It said: "In recent days, all three players presented with extremely mild illness and were advised by club medical staff, consistent with current government advice, to stay home and contact the NHS 111 service.

"All three players were subsequently advised by NHS 111 that their symptoms were consistent with common seasonal illness and that a seven-day period of self-isolation was appropriate as a precaution.

"There was no recommendation that further testing would be necessary."

Providing that the game does go ahead, Leicester will be without two key players after it was confirmed that defender Ricardo Pereira will miss the rest of the season with an ACL injury and James Maddison will be absent with a calf problem.

Rodgers said of their absence: “They’re players that have featured strongly for us. But there’s nothing we can do about it. But it will present an opportunity for other players to come in.”