Coady: Southampton The Only Game We Think About

- Leicester City host Southampton at King Power Stadium on Tuesday (8pm kick-off)
- The Foxes top the Sky Bet Championship table after beating West Bromwich Albion
- Conor Coady outlined his feelings after helping steer City to a crucial three points
- He knows the nature of the challenge awaits against the Saints  

Leicester City edged a step closer to their promotion aim courtesy of Saturday’s 2-1 victory over West Bromwich Albion at King Power Stadium, via goals from Wilfred Ndidi and Jamie Vardy. Far from straightforward, Jed Wallace’s strike made it a tense finish, but the Foxes held out to move back to the top of the table.

In the XI for the first time since the start of March, Coady gave insight into the players’ perspective from the pitch, showing a grit and determination required to see them over the line.

“It’s nervous to play in,” the defender admitted. “When you’re at the end of a game and you’re clinging on by a goal, you’ve got to stick together and defend your box. I thought the lads did it incredibly well.

“They’re a good side. They press you; they move the ball well. They are really well coached; they’ve got a great manager and we understood that. It was about winning the game and that’s the most important thing with where we’re at, at the minute.

“We’ll always stick to the way we do things and play the way we want to, but sometimes you have to get together. Those performances for defenders are the best, they are absolutely brilliant.

“We’ve shown a different way of winning. Hamza [Choudhury] epitomised that, but I thought the whole team did and we got what we needed to.

“I’ve wanted to play every minute of every game this year, but the Manager makes decisions. It’s important that no matter what I’m there for the boys to drive them. I train every day to push everybody as hard as I can, whether I play or I don’t.”

In another quick turnaround, Southampton are up next on Filbert Way this Tuesday (8pm kick-off). Closing in on the finish line, the end is in sight and the Blue Army still have a big part to play.

The 31-year-old continued: “Now we park it, recover, look at Tuesday and make sure we’re ready. It’s the only game that we can think about. We know that come 8pm on Tuesday evening when we step back on the grass, it’s go time. It’s important that we’re focused on what we need. It’s massive, it’s everything for us.

“The lads have spoken about it. This place is where we want to play football. We’d play here every week if we could. To be on the pitch and play in front of the crowd is fantastic. The supporters understand how much we need them at this moment in time.

“We understand what is at stake, what we’re all playing for, what the supporters want and how they turn up to support us every week. There is a focus within that dressing room and that is the most important thing moving forward.

“We had four games; we’ve won the first one and now we’ve got three. It’s a huge on Tuesday against a real top side and we’ll need this crowd more than ever. Tuesday night under the lights, it can’t be better, so it’s something that we’re really looking forward to.”

Getting back on track was crucial, following successive defeats, and the mindset within the squad remains clear, according to the England international. The Saints, meanwhile, still in touching distance of the automatic promotion spots, will offer an extremely tough test.

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Conor Coady & Abdul Fatawu

Celebrating with Abdul Fatawu after the winger set up Jamie Vardy to head home on Saturday.

The centre-back added: “Because we put ourselves in a position in February, people think we’re going to steamroll every team, but that’s never ever going to happen because the league is tough, especially when you get to this time of the year, especially this season, when every team is fighting for something. Southampton are fighting for the top two.

“It was never going to be as clear cut. Now is the moment that we focus, look at ourselves, concentrate on ourselves and we make sure that in the next couple of games that we get over the line, starting Tuesday.

“I watched them against Preston and they were fantastic. They were 3-0 up in half an hour. They move the ball really well, have a certain style of play quite similar to ours and have got some top-quality players who have played in the Premier League.

“We know what we’re in for, we know what’s coming. If we can show that determination and play the way we have all season, I think it’ll be a good game. Not just from this, we have confidence in ourselves from the games we’ve won all season and the way that we do things. We have confidence in the position that we’ve put ourselves in.”

All times BST.