3 ways Leicester can line up in Vardy's absence

Four matches to go in Leicester City's unforeseen pursuit of the Premier League title, and talismanic forward Jamie Vardy could be unavailable for two of them.

Related: Vardy charged with improper conduct after West Ham red card, faces extended ban

The 29-year-old has started every single top-flight game for the Foxes, plundering an incredible 22 strikes, but now Claudio Ranieri will have to delve beyond his preferred starting XI to carve enough points to secure top spot.

On Thursday, Leicester learns of the suspension handed to Vardy for his improper conduct charge from Sunday's 2-2 draw with West Ham United.

Here's how the Italian could shuffle his pack for Sunday's visit of Swansea City and the trip to Manchester United a week later, if Vardy is suspended for the latter:

4-4-2

If it's not broken, why fix it?

Ranieri has stubbornly deployed the same formation and, whenever possible, the same 11 players in this system for much of the season, and the natural course of action would be to simply select Leonardo Ulloa in Vardy's place.

The Argentinian scored for the Foxes last term with 11 goals, and this season has offered a useful plan B off the bench due to his aerial prowess and ability to retain possession, holding up play before being joined by his colleagues in attack.

He has four goals over five league starts in 2015-16, with three coming off the bench and his contributions adding another three points to Leicester's total - an amount which could decide who hoists the Premier League trophy in mid-May.

Vardy's lack of availability and Ulloa's likely route into the starting XI could hand an opportunity to 20-year-old Joe Dodoo off the bench. The pacey winger-cum-forward has bagged four goals in three League Cup outings this season.

4-5-1

When opponents began to realise a way to scupper Leicester's forays forward, Ranieri ensured his side became more defensively sound than it was over its first 17 matches of the season.

A 1-0 loss at Liverpool was followed by the visit of Manchester City in December, which saw the Foxes field five in the midfield, with Gokhan Inler chosen as the most withdrawn member to protect Robert Huth and Wes Morgan. The match ended 0-0, with an attacking quartet of Sergio Aguero, Raheem Sterling, David Silva, and Kevin De Bruyne leaving the east Midlands frustrated.

If the title is still on the line when it comes to the tougher tests at the end of the season, Ranieri could revisit this even when Vardy returns. The natural options to slot into the middle of midfield in this system would be Inler again, January signing Daniel Amartey, or Andy King, although he is more of an attack-minded option.

Leicester finishes the season with a visit from Everton and a trip to Chelsea.

4-2-3-1

A formation that has emerged as one of the preferred systems for many Premier League managers, but one that Ranieri is yet to use in its strictest sense.

A 4-5-1 might be too offensive though, and would break up the impressive partnership of Danny Drinkwater and N'Golo Kante in the middle. To combat this, the pair could be shunted deeper to allow someone to play as a number 10 behind Shinji Okazaki in a 4-2-3-1.

King would offer a more combative option in that position, but if three points and therefore more threat going forward was required, Riyad Mahrez could be moved inside for Marc Albrighton to play on the right and Jeffrey Schlupp to assume a spot on the left. Another helpful player in a 4-2-3-1 could be Demarai Gray, who can play on both flanks and has looked promising in his limited opportunities since joining from Birmingham City in the winter transfer window.