McAteer: Another Tough Test Awaits
- There’s an exclusive Kasey McAteer interview inside the latest edition of CITY
- The Academy graduate talks through his breakthrough season and the team’s campaign so far
- Leicester City’s official matchday publication will be available to purchase on Saturday
- Supporters can pick up a copy ahead of the 3pm GMT kick-off against Plymouth Argyle
Two divisions separated the teams last term, but they both now find themselves competing in the second tier, with the Pilgrims holding their own and likely to prove difficult opponents for Enzo Maresca’s table toppers, who defeated West Bromwich Albion in dramatic circumstances last weekend.
It’s all set for an intriguing match-up at King Power Stadium on Saturday and as McAteer told CITY earlier this week, the Foxes can take nothing for granted at this level, demonstrated in recent fixtures against sides nearer the bottom end of the standings.
“It’ll be a tough test,” the Academy graduate commented. “There’s no easy game in this league as we saw the other day against Sheffield Wednesday – we were on opposite sides of the table, but they gave us a really tough game.
“We’ll go into the game fully respectful of the opposition but hopefully we can impose ourselves on the game, have a real good go at it and get the three points. We know how tough this league can be as you can see from sides in the past who have come down from the Premier League and struggled.
“We are where we are, we’re in the Championship which is our main focus and if we can carry on the way we are, that’s where we want to be in the table. At this moment in time, we’re just taking things game-by-game and approaching every challenge with the same mentality.”
Describing the impact of coming into a dressing room packed with plenty of international stars and experienced heads, the 22-year-old spoke highly of not just the quality within the side, but also the morale and togetherness, which he attributes to playing a part in winning 15 of their opening 19 league matches.
McAteer himself has helped to contribute towards several of those victories, scoring four goals in 12 Championship appearances, despite spending a spell on the sidelines through injury.
The young winger added: “We’ve got great quality all over the pitch but what I will say is we are all together and pulling in the right direction. The biggest thing that I’ve probably learnt is you have to keep your mentality and performance levels high.
“Being at it every day is important. I’m around top, experienced pros so to be stepping into the changing room with the likes of Jamie Vardy and Harry Winks is a big opportunity for myself.
“It’s something that I need to keep up. I can’t be resting on my laurels of what I’ve done so far this season, I just need to keep going, keep my head down and fight in every moment that I get.”
For more from McAteer, pick up your copy of Saturday’s issue of CITY for just £3.50, available around Filbert Way on matchday.