Talking Heads: Previews From Rodgers, Bruce, Albrighton & Manquillo
- Newcastle visit King Power Stadium in the Premier League on Friday night (8pm BST kick-off)
- Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers and midfielder Marc Albrighton have previewed the clash
- Steve Bruce and Javier Manquillo have also been on media duties for the North East outfit this week
The Foxes currently sit third in the table after going four games unbeaten in all competitions, while Newcastle are 17th, searching for a first win since 17 April, although the North East outfit did secure an admirable 1-1 draw with Liverpool at Anfield more recently.
Ahead of Friday's encounter, key figures from both dressing rooms have previewed the clash...
Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers, speaking on Wednesday, said: "[Steve Bruce] is limited in terms of the budget he has to spend on players. He's had to go in and organise and, of course, there's a big expectation. Newcastle's an incredible club, for the size of it, the fanbase. He's organised them really well. Graeme [Jones] has obviously gone in to help him and Steve [Agnew] and you can see the football idea in how they're trying to shape the team. I think he's done an outstanding job and he's shown throughout his career that he's an excellent manager."
Steve Bruce, also during his own press conference, on facing the Foxes: "We've got some tough games coming up, and that’s the Premier League. But it's still in our hands, which is good. [Leicester are] quite remarkable and you have to just compliment them. When you think of the teams they're in and around, they just missed out on the Champions League last year, and look to me as if they're going to be in it this year. They've bought well, they've sold well, and they've improved their team. You have to tip your hat to them, especially Brendan, a British manager doing so well."
City midfielder Marc Albrighton evaluates the challenge: "A lot of the games aren’t won in the first half an hour or 45 minutes, it’s a 90-minute game and, if it takes us to the 90th or 95th minute to get a 1-0, then so be it. I do think we’ll have a lot of the ball and we’ll have to be very creative in the final third to break them down. A lot of it is based around patience. Once you start getting frustrated that you can’t get through the opposition, that’s when the opposition notice a weakness in you. It’s about moving the ball from side to side and getting the opposition running."
Spanish Newcastle defender Javier Manquillo, speaking to nufc.co.uk, on reaching 100 Premier League appearances for the Magpies: "I'm really happy, of course. As a youngster, I never thought that I'd achieve something like this, and I guess every footballer would love to have made one hundred appearances in the Premier League as it's the best league in the world. So I'm delighted - and let's hope there are many more of them to come."