Stay On Course, Says Dewsbury-Hall

- Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall previews Leicester City’s trip to Southampton
- The Sky Bet Championship fixture kicks off at 8pm BST on Friday
- The Foxes currently sit third in the table while the Saints are seventh
- The midfielder expects a very tough test from the south coast outfit

Domestic football returns at the weekend, with the Sky Bet Championship season restarting on the south coast this Friday evening. Leicester City will be pitted against a fellow relegated side in the Saints, who are also looking to make an immediate return to the top fight.

Ahead of the fixture, Dewsbury-Hall assessed the type of encounter he expects against Russell Martin’s side, and how the Foxes must be shrewd in their approach in order to return to Leicestershire with a positive result.

“It’s a very tough test,” the Academy graduate commented. “They’ve a great young English manager that wants to play good football. Seeing them this season, they've got some good results playing some really good stuff and pretty similar to us, they've got a squad that isn't far off Premier League quality.

“It's a big game for us. It's a big game for the league and I'm hoping that when it comes to it we're going to be completely ready, which we will be, to get those three points. I think it'll be almost like a bit of a chess match. A very tactical battle with moments of quality.

“Hopefully, that will be from our end more than theirs. We're going to have to try and stifle the way they play and then enforce the way we play. That's the aim of the game, and I'm sure that we'll be gearing up for that and then come the game will be ready in all departments.”

Four wins from five league games, coupled with Carabao Cup progression, has put Enzo Maresca’s men in a strong position at this early stage of the campaign. Keeping focused on the main aim is going to be key throughout 2023/24, KDH believes.

“Confidence is really high at the moment, and the lads are in great spirits,” the midfielder added. “The dressing room is really good, so it's just about keeping that momentum. The Manager talks about having a winning mentality, and that's what everybody in the team is trying to grasp at the moment.

“I feel like once you've got that and you've got the confidence, then you can be a real force to be reckoned with, so that's what we've got to continue to do. Don't get too complacent. It's a good start, but it's a long old season, so make sure we take it game by game and then see where it takes us.

"For me personally, there's only one target this season. We need to be looking to get promoted and it's as simple as that. So, we've got all the fundamentals, we've got all the tools for it, so there's no reason why we can't do it.

“That's what everybody's getting - that mentality to enforce and the gaffer's right at the heart of that. You need that confidence to think you can go straight back up and all of us have that. It's about putting it out on the pitch now.”