Redemption on Puel’s mind as Leicester host City in League Cup quarter-finals
Claude Puel suggests he wants to right a wrong when his Leicester City host Manchester City in the League Cup quarter-finals tonight.
Puel still remembers a painful defeat in last season’s cup final to Manchester United when he was Southampton manager.
Leicester welcome Pep Guardiola’s high-flying City, aiming to rediscover their form after a surprise 3-0 Premier League defeat to Crystal Palace that ended an impressive run of results since the Frenchman took over at the club in October.
Puel’s Southampton lost the League Cup final 3-2 to United at Wembley when their striker Manolo Gabbiadini had a goal controversially ruled out with the game at 0-0.
Defeat was hard on Puel and Southampton and, now manager at King Power Stadium, he is eager to make up for it.
“The next game will tell us if this is possible or not because we have to play a fantastic team,” Puel said. “They are the top team in Europe and it’s difficult to beat this team.”
Puel will be without the banned Wilfred Ndidi after he was sent off following two yellow cards -- the second for diving -- in Saturday’s defeat.
Robert Huth and Matty James are also out with ankle injuries for Leicester, and Puel is likely to make changes after saying his players struggle to play two games in quick succession.
“It’s difficult to understand when we can play with this quality against Southampton [a 4-1 win three days before losing at Palace] and the game afterwards is so difficult,” he said.
“It’s difficult to play every three days with the same intensity and concentration.
“Perhaps there’s a little tiredness for the players. It’s important to analyse enough to look forward.
“We can do something against Manchester City, this is the most important thing. For the future it will be important to have some rotation and changes without losing the quality.”
The other quarter-final tie tonight sees Arsenal taking on West Ham United.
Tomorrow, Bristol City host Manchester United while Chelsea take on Bournemouth.
Manchester City will hope to carry their excellent form into the competition tonight with a domestic treble on their minds.
City head to Leicester hoping to reach only the second semi-final of manager Pep Guardiola’s 18-month reign after losing in the FA Cup last four against Arsenal in April.
The League Cup also provides hope of silverware for the teams trailing in City’s wake.
Guardiola’s first experience of Leicester’s frenetic style of play memorably prompted the Spaniard to declare he “didn’t coach tackles” after City were roughed up in a 4-2 defeat at the King Power Stadium 12 months ago.
Guardiola has heeded the lesson of that chastening experience, assembling a City side more than capable of slugging it out with opponents intent on trying to intimidate them.
They proved that point with a 2-0 win at Leicester this season.