Leicester boss piles pressure on to Chelsea
like DeAndre Yedlin, but he is getting more and more comfortable on the ball and is benefitting from having Kenedy in front of him, a player who is happy to receive the ball in tight situations because he can wriggle his way out of them. I did not rate Florian Lejeune when he first came into the side. He looked out of his depth but, having sat out a spell through injury, he seems to have reassessed his own game and the Premier League stage and has come to terms with the quicker, faster and stronger game over here to in Spain.
Having Jamaal Lascelles at his shoulder has helped, of course. This young man is a real athlete whose decision-making has improved.
A natural leader who relishes the job, he is good enough for England – and for some top Champions League clubs. United have to keep him at all costs.
Shelvey is now one of the most creative midfielders in the country – I would have loved playing in front of him – while Mo Diame has vastly improved. He is now punching his weight and it is great to see.
Kenedy has great feet and a good brain – it is hard to believe he is just 21 – while Matt Ritchie never hides.
He has not had the best of times recently but he was up and down against Southampton working like a beaver and deserved his goal. It was rich reward for relentless graft.
I know Ayoze Perez is not too well thought-of by some but I rate him and think more is still to come.
He really does work hard and the run he made literally from box to box for United’s second goal was absolutely crucial.
United know they are not world -beaters - but if they stick together and work hard they can get out of the relegation fight and that is an honourable way to go about things. LEICESTER boss Claude Puel believes all the pressure is on Chelsea ahead of the FA Cup quarter-final between the two sides tomorrow.
Having been knocked out of the Champions League by Barcelona this week, the FA Cup remains the only piece of silverware attainable for Antonio Conte’s team.
Chelsea were finalists last year, losing to Arsenal, and last lifted the trophy in 2012 - defeating Leicester at this stage of the competition en route. That was the last time the Foxes reached the last eight.
Puel acknowledges the tie is important for his side but he also hopes there will be bigger games to come this season for his players.
He said: “Yes, the pressure is on Chelsea. It is the last chance for them to win a trophy.
“I think for us it is not just a normal game also. he players wait for these games with desire and without pressure because this team is favourite - but we have good attributes also and we can cause them problems.
“We need to give a collective response against Chelsea.
“It is a big game for the fans and the squad and the club.”
Asked if it was Leicester’s biggest game of the season, Puel replied: “I hope not. I hope all the big important games are to come, of course. We will see. I don’t know.
“Of course all the games we can play are big. It is a decisive game, more important I don’t know.
“It is a good opportunity at home, a chance to see perhaps the semifinals.
“For Chelsea it is the same, the last opportunity to win something this season. It is an exciting challenge to play a big team in our stadium.”
Puel (below) is expected to have an unchanged squad. Daniel Amartey will not return from his hamstring injury until after the international break while Robert Huth continues to work his way back from the ankle problem which has blighted his campaign.
Kelechi Iheanacho will hope to play, while the likes of Aleksander Dragovic, Christian Fuchs, Matty James and Marc Albrighton could also come into contention for recalls.