FA CUP QUARTER-FINAL Kasper has six appeal

SCHMEICHEL: EXPECTATION IS HIGH... WE CAN BE REGULARS AT PREM’S TOP TABLE

KASPER SCHMEICHEL has claimed Leicester City is a unique club that has what it takes to challenge English football’s elite.

The Danish keeper fired from the lip when he was asked whether the Foxes’ campaign was in danger of fizzling out after a stunning start.

Brendan Rodgers’ side are third in the Premier League, but have Manchester United and Chelsea breathing down their neck for a Champions League spot.

The Foxes also fell in the semifinals of the Carabao Cup to Aston Villa and face Frank Lampard’s Blues today – a club that has twice dashed their FA Cup dreams at the quarter-finals stage in the past decade.

There is the real prospect of finishing empty-handed. When it was put to him however, Schmeichel was having none of it. He said: “It’s a massive positive that you are even asking that question – it means there’s an expectation on us.

“It means we are one of the better sides in the Premier League. People have come to expect things of us. And that’s what we do – we expect things of ourselves.

“Of course, with the size of the so-called big six, it’s difficult for us to break into that.

“But when you look at the structures, the parameters we are working within and that are already in place, it’s not.

“This club is run like a top club. With time, I believe we can get there. We have the best manager we could possibly have. The best owner we could possibly have.

“Everything is in place for us to kick on. We will soon have one of the best training grounds in Europe, if not the world. Expansion plans for the stadium are in place. Everything is there for us to kick on and become one of the bigger clubs.

“For us, we need to continue the work we are doing. Everything is going in the right direction.”

Schmeichel arrived in the east Midlands at a crossroads in his career. After the high of that 5,000-1 title triumph and the

Champions League adventure Mahrez which followed there came the have left – tragedy that befell owner Vichai N’Golo

Srivaddhanaprabha who died in had a a helicopter crash. buy-out

But Schmeichel clearly feels clause strong ties to Leicester. And he which maintains he’s not alone. was unfortunate

He added: “This club makes you feel special. for us.

“When you look at the squad, “But there’s a lot of players who choose when they to stay here. Jamie Vardy could come back have moved. He wants to they always be part of it. I have come into our stayed. I wanted to be dressing room a part of it. afterwards and

“This club took me they always say: in at a time during my ‘Yeah, it’s great career when I felt so where we are, but unwelcome and we miss the people they made me feel and the spirit at so wanted. Leicester’.

“From what we “Having been at many have done together, clubs, it is different to many it’s created a unique bond. others. This club makes you

“All the highs and lows we have feel valued, it makes you feel had together, it’s become very special. much like family. “When you look at our

“I haven’t seen a relationship season overall, we know what between owners, players and staff we are capable of – it’s just a case anywhere like the one we have of finding that groove and to go here. Every player that comes forward with the intensity and back to visit us, they do say they fluidity that we have had and we miss it. N’Golo Kante and Riyad will be more than fine.”