Albrighton: Take The Game To Man City

- Marc Albrighton previews the visit of Manchester City to King Power Stadium on Saturday
- Leicester City host the Premier League champions in a 3pm Premier League kick-off
- Albrighton says the Foxes have worked well during the international break
- He's also hoping to add more goals to his game after netting at Norwich City in August

Man City are due at King Power Stadium for a 3pm kick-off on Saturday as Premier League football returns after the maiden international break of the season with the Foxes facing Pep Guardiola's men for the first time since defeating the champions in the FA Community Shield.

At the end of the international break, several of Leicester's players have returned to LCFC Training Ground this week and Albrighton offered an insight into the work which has been carried out at Seagrave over the past fortnight. The No.11 scored in the 2-1 win at Norwich City before the break. 

"It’s been positive," he told LCFC TV inside the King Power Centre. "I think I said after the [Norwich] game that we feel like we can play a lot better than what we showed, so we’ve been working hard in training. We feel like we’ve had a bigger group than we’ve had in previous international breaks.

"We had a bigger group training here, so it’s given us a good opportunity to get some good sessions in. We had a practice match as well, which was a good workout. It was good to get some more minutes, so it’s been positive.

"Then, obviously, everybody’s arriving back at different times and it’s a good atmosphere and we’re looking forward to the weekend. There’s two ways of working in an international break.

"We’ve got a really good balance. It’s good to get time off because, if you’re working for two weeks straight with no game at the end of it, it can become quite long. I think the manager’s really good at making sure that, when we’re in, we’re training to our maximum.

"Everything’s done to the right speed, the right tempo, even though there isn’t a game at the weekend. But also he knows we’re going into a period now where it’s going to be really busy as the League Cup and the Europa League start.

"He knows he needs to keep everyone fresh and make sure any lads with any niggles have got the opportunity to get them right over this period. I’m looking forward to this week and this period now that that’s done."

After hosting Man City on Saturday, Italian outfit Napoli are next up on Filbert Way for Leicester on matchday one in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday, while the Club's Carabao Cup campaign also commences with a trip to tackle Millwall later in September.

Albrighton is looking forward to City's fixture schedule becoming increasingly congested as it allows the players more opportunities to enjoy game time and add to the fitness levels they've been building.

"Although the season has already started, this feels like the time where it actually starts getting important, as we’re fighting on more than one front," he added. "We feel like we’ve built up a good base of fitness from pre-season and got some match minutes in our legs.

"It’s a good period to look forward to and it should be a good start. We’ve proved over the years how important that is, to grind out the results. There’s been occasions over the last few years where we’ve been through tough spells and not winning those games or even losing those games.

"To come away with all three points is obviously the main thing. It’s important that we continue to do that, but ultimately, we want to improve for the bigger picture. We want to improve our passing of the ball and our counter press and everything like that. As good as it is, there’s improvements to be made."

Albrighton was elated to net the winner at Carrow Road at the end of August and hopes to add more goals to his tally this term, but he is fully aware of the test which Guardiola's side will pose on Saturday.

"It was pleasing for me," Albrighton continued. "I said at the time, it’s quite a rare thing to happen, so it would be nice to score a few more. Fingers crossed this can be the start of it, but we’ll wait and see. I just need to keep plugging away and hopefully keep myself in the team and get some more wins.

"We're excited with the period we’ve got coming up. There’s some really good games in there, starting with Man City. We all know it’s going to be a tough game. Man City are a great side. They’ve got a great squad and they’ve continued to add to that in the summer.

"It’s going to be very difficult, but it’s one we’re looking forward to. It’s at home, with the fans, and it’s one we can really take to Man City and hopefully come out with the right result. The Community Shield win is obviously the most recent (encounter).

"There might be a few changes to the sides, but I think to beat a team and get one over on them definitely breeds confidence through the group, but also it could work the other way. They might want to get some revenge because that was a trophy like any other that they would have wanted to win."

All times BST.