Leicester City manager Nigel Pearson has backed midfielder Matty James to make a successful return from his injury and have a bright future at King Power Stadium.

The 23-year old will undergo surgery on Tuesday after rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee in the 2-0 victory over Southampton and now faces around six to nine months on the sidelines.

"He is very popular," said Pearson. "They [teammates] are disappointed and upset for him.

"He is not thinking of it totally from his own perspective. He is very supportive of the rest of the squad to get the right results.

"It is always disappointing for players to pick up injuries, especially serious ones, but he will cope because he knows that he has a very bright future here."