Iheanacho: We're Ready For Forest

- Leicester City tackle Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Sunday (4pm GMT kick-off)
- It's an Emirates FA Cup tie which sees the Foxes confront Forest for the first time since 2014
- Striker Kelechi Iheanacho is aware of the fixture's importance to the Blue Army
- The Nigerian also discusses the desire within the squad to impress again in the FA Cup

The Foxes tackle their rivals from Nottingham for the first time in eight years at the City Ground in the fourth round of the Emirates FA Cup – a competition they lifted last season. Forest, on the other hand, proved their acumen with a hugely impressive success over Arsenal in the third round.

It promises to be a thrilling next chapter in Leicester's 2021/22 campaign and it's one which Iheanacho is excited for. The Nigeria striker is back with his City team-mates after representing the Super Eagles at the CAF Africa Cup of Nations, ultimately losing out in the round of 16.

"I'm happy to be back," Leicester's No.14 told LCFC TV. "Obviously, I'm gutted that [Nigeria] are out of [AFCON], but now I need to focus on the club duties. I'm happy to be back and into games straight away. It'll be a big one, a rivalry, so hopefully we'll give the fans a good game and we'll win the game. 

"The fans will be ready to go to the game. They'll be in the stands with the other fans, but we need to focus in the game, as players, and it'll be tough on the pitch. We're ready for the game."

Last season's triumph, the first in the Club's history, has motivated City's players to achieve more, Iheanacho says. They are intent to give the defence of their crown everything as they look to join now-dissolved Wanderers, Blackburn Rovers, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal as consecutive winners. 

"The last one was brilliant and it ended on a high," the 25-year-old added. "We want to focus this time around and repeat the same. That would be even better. I think we're ready so we need to just concentrate and focus on going all the way. As a group, players and staff, we know what we're chasing.

"The FA Cup, we really want to win it again. We have a great squad here so I believe we can. Obviously, there is hunger and desire in the team. We love each other and we work for each other. We'll do that again and hopefully we'll achieve our goals."

After the Premier League's winter break, the Foxes have a busy schedule ahead of them, with a visit to Liverpool and a home clash with West Ham across the seven days to follow their encounter with Forest. With players gradually returning from injury, though, Iheanacho is confident City can achieve success.

"Every season, there is always a lot of competitions and that's why we have a big squad, so we can play in all the competitions," he said. "We have to focus on the ones we're playing in and make sure we get through. We're ready. We're working hard and hopefully we'll go all the way in those competitions.

"We had a lot of things going on a few weeks ago, but I think we are getting back in numbers now and we're stronger. Hopefully, over these few months, we're going to achieve great things together."