Swindon Town midfielder Lilian Nalis admits that the players should shoulder some of the responsibility after Maurice Malpas was relieved of his duties yesterday.

Nalis was one of Malpas' major summer signings but has been in and out of form as Town have suffered a difficult start to the campaign.

The Scotsman's 10-month tenure was brought to an abrupt halt just before lunchtime yesterday and Nalis admits that the players have to take some of the blame for the inconsistencies that have ultimately cost Malpas his position with the club.

He said: "When the manager gets sacked it reflects badly on the players and we have to react positively.

"I am partly responsible because what I have done since I have been here has not been good enough."

"It is especially sad for me because he brought me in and I didn't give him what he wanted in return.

"I had a good relationship with Maurice and I know he's got some good ideas, but he just ran out of time.

"He will bounce back and do something in his managerial career – there's no doubt."

Assistant manager David Byrne was handed control of team affairs on a temporary basis and will pick the side that faces league leaders Leicester City at the County Ground this afternoon.

"It makes no difference who is in charge because it is just about how we react now that matters to me," said Nalis, who played in the Premier League for the Foxes between 2003 and 2005.

"You only have to look at the results and the league table to see that we need to start picking up points.

"It is a top-of-the-table team and for us it is a new era.

"Everybody has got something to prove and this is the best type of game to start doing that.

"Leicester are a team that were in the Premiership only a few years ago.

"They want to get back there because they are a big club and we will have to be right at it to get anything out of the game."

Defender Hasney Aljofree is still rated doubtful with an ankle injury but midfielder Lee Peacock is expected to be available again after recovering from a minor back injury.

Swindon (from): Brezovan, P Smith, J Smith, Kanyuaka, Morrison, Timlin, Amankwaah, McNamee, Marshall, Peacock, Pook, Nalis Easton, McGovern, Paynter, Corr, Cox