Steve Cooper insisted that he will treat Leicester’s upcoming Premier League fixture like “any other game” as he prepares to face former club Nottingham Forest for the first time.
Cooper spent two years at the City Ground, guiding the Tricky Trees to the top-flight in his first season in charge, despite taking over the club when they were bottom of the Championship.
The Welshman guided Forest to safety in his first season in the Premier League but was dismissed in December 2023 after a run of one win in 13 matches.
Coming into Friday’s game on the back of consecutive wins, Cooper was not drawn into the emotions of facing his former employers and is confident the Foxes can continue their forward momentum.
"I'm looking forward to it like any other game. It's a very good culture here and even though we didn't get the results in the early season, it's always been a motivated and hard-working training ground,” Cooper said.
"We look forward to every single game day. Forest is the next game, it doesn't matter who we are playing because we are so focused on ourselves. We are enjoying the journey that we are on.
"It was important we brought in extra players in the summer and in they had to bring some experience and know-how."
Forest, meanwhile, travel to their East Midlands rivals after downing Crystal Palace on Monday, moving them to eighth in the Premier League table after eight games.
The Tricky Trees have improved under Nuno Espirito Santo this season, though the Forest boss was quick to praise the job Cooper had done in his short tenure with the Foxes.
"Tough team, tough match. They have come from two good performances and two good results, it’s not easy to achieve back-to-back wins in the Premier League, they have done it. That should tell that they are in a good moment playing good,” Nuno said.
"It is going to be hard and tough, and you go there to try and fight and be better than them. It’s always the same philosophy.
Nuno will, however, not be on the touchline at the King Power Stadium as he serves the second game of his three-match ban, but said his absence from the sidelines will not affect preparations.
"We have taken care of that and making sure things go normal like they did in this game. We have constant communication with the coaching staff, we know that we are trying to prepare that in Leicester and hopefully, we can do the same,” he concluded.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Leicester – Facundo Buonanotte
Buonanotte has been involved in five goals in his last six Premier League appearances for Leicester (three goals, two assists).
The 19-year-old could become just the 10th teenager to score or assist in four appearances in a row and be the first since Evan Ferguson for Brighton in January 2023.
Nottingham Forest – Elliot Anderson
Anderson is one of only three players to create five or more chances and complete five or more dribbles in a Premier League match this season after his impressive display against Crystal Palace (five chances created and six completed dribbles).
This campaign, only Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah against Bournemouth and Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka against Leicester have achieved that feat.
MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW
Leicester have won their last two Premier League home games against Forest (December 1998 and October 2022), having won neither of their first two in the competition (D1 L1).
After winning none of their first six Premier League games this season (D3 L3), Leicester have since won both of their last two. The Foxes last won three successive matches in the competition in January 2021 under Brendan Rodgers.
And expect an entertaining affair. There have been at least four goals scored in all four of the Foxes Premier League home games against Forest.
But Forest arrive at the King Power Stadium with confidence. They are unbeaten in their last six away games in the Premier League (W4 D2); their longest run without an away defeat in the top-flight since February-October 1995 (12 games).
The Tricky Trees also won 2-0 against Leicester in their last league meeting (January 2023), last winning consecutive league games against the Foxes in March 2005 and December 2009.
Only Liverpool (three) have conceded fewer goals than Nottingham Forest (six) in the Premier League so far this season, while Nuno’s side also rank third for expected goals against (8.81). They conceded 20 shots against Crystal Palace last time out, yet still held them to under one expected goal (0.97).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Leicester – 37.3%
Draw – 26.4%
Nottingham Forest – 36.3%
Ramos in 'final phase' of recovery, says PSG boss Luis Enrique
Luis Enrique confirmed that Paris Saint-Germain striker Goncalo Ramos is nearing a return to action after sustaining an ankle injury on the opening day of the season.
Ramos, who scored 14 goals in 40 appearances in all competitions in his debut season for PSG last year, has not featured for the Parisiens since their 4-1 win over Le Havre in August.
But despite his absence, Luis Enrique's side sit top of the Ligue 1 standings ahead of welcoming Toulouse to the Parc des Princes this Friday.
They are also the top scorers in the division, netting 33 goals in 11 matches so far, nine more than Marseille, who are second in the scoring table.
And as the hectic festive schedule kickstarts, Luis Enrique revealed Ramos has already returned to full first-team training.
"It was the 25th and that is in a few days, so it is the final phase of his recovery," Luis Enrique told reporters.
"As for when he is available (to play) we do not know. We will see in training, he is doing really well and is in full training."
Following Friday's fixture against Toulouse, PSG travel to the Allianz Arena to face Bayern Munich in the Champions League, hoping to ignite their European campaign.
The Ligue 1 champions are at risk of failing to qualify for the knockout stages of the competition having taken four points from their first four games this season.
They currently sit 25th in the new 36-team league table, and with an important week coming up, Luis Enrique insisted he would think about rotating his squad.
"You mustn't only think about the game against Toulouse but also the workload for players with their national teams," he said.
"So we will make decisions based on what we think. We want to win against Toulouse, which is our main target."
Ousmane Dembele did not feature during the international break after he left the France training camp with a hamstring issue, though he is expected to feature this Friday.
"In theory, it was nothing serious. I don't think it was a big issue and these things happen during the season," Luis Enrique said.
"It is normal with such a busy schedule, he should be available to play."
While Toulouse sit 10th in the league standings, they will provide PSG with a difficult test. They come into the game on the back of three consecutive wins, all without conceding a goal.
PSG have also not won any of their last two meetings against Toulouse (D1 L1), and could go three games without a win against the Violets for the second time in the 21st century after a winless streak between December 2007 to October 2009 (five).
Hurzeler: Brighton need to 'work to get momentum' despite Man City win
Brighton and Hove Albion boss Fabian Hurzeler believes his players need to rebuild their momentum following a two-week break after their 2-1 victory over Manchester City.
The Seagulls came back from a goal down in dramatic fashion to inflict City's fourth successive defeat in all competitions last time out.
Though the international break came at a bad time for his in-form team, Hurzeler refused to criticise the schedule ahead of their trip to the Vitality Stadium.
"You always have to work to get momentum. It's always a new game and no matter if there's a break between games or not, the game starts from zero," he told a pre-match press conference.
"You have to go into the game and do the things you can influence to the maximum.
"You can't say 'we won against Manchester City and now the momentum will keep going', it's about fighting for momentum.
"It's a new game, a different challenge and a really big challenge because Bournemouth are one of the strongest teams at the moment."
Bournemouth have also beaten City recently, with the Cherries also triumphing over Arsenal and Southampton in their last three home matches.
"They can play very intense, they run a lot, they have individual quality, they are in good shape. For me at the moment, they're one of the best teams in the league," Hurzeler said of the Cherries.
Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola, meanwhile, was keen to stress that his players need to keep their concentration against Brighton. The Cherries were beaten 3-2 away to Brentford last time out, despite having taken the lead twice.
“You never want to lose the last game before the break because at the end you remember the last feeling. We will remember this week, the actions here against Brentford," he said.
"We can prepare very well for the game against Brighton, that is going to be also very demanding.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Bournemouth – Evanilson
Evanilson has scored four goals for Bournemouth since joining the club in August. He is tied with Antoine Semenyo as the club's top scorer, although his goals have come in one fewer appearance.
The Brazilian forward has found the net in three successive matches and will become the first Bournemouth player since Callum Wilson in 2019 to score in four straight top-flight games should he do so on Saturday.
Brighton – Danny Welbeck
Danny Welbeck is Brighton's leading scorer so far this season, with six league goals – a total that includes three opening goals.
He has scored two away goals so far in the current campaign, coming on the opening day at Everton and the only goal of the game at Newcastle United last month.
MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW
Bournemouth come into this in 12th place in the Premier League on 15 points after 11 matches, having lost 3-2 to Brentford in their most recent game.
At home, though, they have taken 10 points from five matches (three wins, one draw, one loss) and come into this with three successive victories at the Vitality Stadium. They have never won four Premier League home games in a row.
Brighton have earned seven points from five away games (two wins, one draw and two losses) and, despite being six places above their hosts in the table, there are just four points between them.
While Bournemouth have won four of their five Premier League home games against Brighton, Fabian Hurzeler's side come into this in good form having won three of their last five (one draw, one loss) Premier League matches – as many victories as they managed across their previous 16 league games (six draws, seven defeats).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Bournemouth – 41.2%
Draw – 25.1%
Brighton – 33.7%
McKenna fired up for 'biggest game in world football' against Man United
Kieran McKenna believes Ipswich Town's Premier League clash with Manchester United will be the "biggest game in world football" this weekend.
United are in action under new manager Ruben Amorim for the first time since the Portuguese officially replaced Arne Slot as head coach.
While plenty of focus is on the visitors at Portman Road, Ipswich are fired up after beating Tottenham 2-1 before the international break.
That was Ipswich's first league win of the season – and their first in the Premier League in 22 years – and now attention turns to facing United.
McKenna, who previously coached United, said at a fan event this week: "Sunday, what a game. It's one we're really, really looking forward to.
"Not for the personal connection, but as manager of Ipswich Town, to be on that stage, it's what we've worked so hard for.
"It's the biggest game in world football anywhere this weekend, the biggest game in the world in the biggest sport in the world and it's at Portman Road."
Ipswich's surprise win at Tottenham last time out moved them up to 17th, while United are 13th after beating Leicester City 3-0 in Ruud van Nistelrooy's final game in caretaker charge.
Amorim took his first training session on Monday, albeit with many first-team stars away on international duty, and the former Sporting CP boss believes his style of play will be clear to see from the off.
"I think you will see an idea," he told the club's website. "You could like it or not, I don't know, but you will see an idea.
"You will see a positioning. You will see something that we want to reach that kind of level. You will feel that.
"We have to know it's [only] two trainings before the first match. This is the best league in the world. But if I have to say something to you, [it's that] you will see an idea. This I can guarantee."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Ipswich Town - Liam Delap
Delap scored what proved to be Ipswich's winner against Tottenham and has now netted six of his side's 12 Premier League goals this term.
That makes the Manchester City academy product one of only three players to have scored at least half of his side's goals in the competition this season, along with Erling Haaland at City (55%) and Chris Wood at Nottingham Forest (53%).
Manchester United - Alejandro Garnacho
Garnacho was among the scorers against Leicester two weeks ago and has now been directly involved in 20 Premier League goals for United (13 goals and seven assists).
The Argentina international is one of only two non-British players to reach that figure for United before turning 21, along with Cristiano Ronaldo (25 goals).
MATCH PREDICTION: MANCHESTER UNITED WIN
Ipswich are seeking back-to-back Premier League wins for the first time since February 2022, with that run also beginning with a 2-1 victory against Tottenham.
The Tractor Boys are the only side in the competition without a home win this season. Only five newly promoted clubs have failed to win any of their first six home matches, all of whom went back down.
United have won 17 of their past 19 Premier League games against newly promoted opponents, meanwhile, including nine wins in a row in away fixtures.
The Red Devils were 1-0 winners on their most recent league trip to Portman Road in April 2022, but only once have they won successive league games away to Ipswich.
However, the Tractor Boys have lost four of their past five league matches against Man United, failing to score in each of those losses.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Ipswich Town - 22.2%
Draw - 23%
Manchester United - 54.8%
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