Schmeichel's Optimism For Old Trafford Opener
- Leicester City's Kasper Schmeichel previews the trip to Manchester United on Friday (8pm BST kick-off)
- City tackle the 20-time English champions at Old Trafford in the Premier League curtain-raiser
- Schmeichel is excited to get the new season underway on such a grand stage
- Live commentary of the clash is available on LCFC Radio, with Pre-Match Pint starting at 6pm
The commanding Danish goalkeeper, who excelled on the world stage in Russia, returned to Leicester this month ahead of City’s opener at Manchester United on Friday (8pm BST kick-off).
In a fixture which will act as the Premier League’s official curtain-raiser at Old Trafford, Schmeichel is looking forward to the opportunity of facing José Mourinho’s title contenders.
“You just want to get going,” he said this week. “It’s been a different kind of summer to what we’ve been used to, a different type of pre-season.
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"It’s nearly here now and, yeah, everyone’s just looking forward to getting going.
“We’ve classically been a counter-attacking type of side. The manager now wants us to try and take a little bit more control of the game, to try and dominate possession a little bit more.
“It’s going to be difficult away from home at Manchester United, but it’s something that we’re going to have to be brave enough to try.”
Schmeichel was one of the stars of the World Cup this summer, showcasing his excellent abilities in the net for Denmark – something the 31-year-old hopes to build upon.
He added: “It was an amazing experience. Everything about the World Cup was fantastic; the organisation, the people looking after us, all the volunteers, everything was absolutely amazing.
“It was just about doing a job for my country and I wasn’t going into it to do anything different then I have been doing for the last many years.
“For me it was about going in and making sure that we as a defensive unit were solid, which we have been throughout the qualification, to give ourselves a platform to build on.
"Unfortunately, I think we could have gone a little bit further but that’s life.”
On the sense of occasion that is expected at Old Trafford, Schmeichel continued: “I am expecting to come up against a top-class side.
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"[They're] a side that is probably a little bit wounded by their rivals winning the league and [they're] going to try and put it right, so we’re expecting a really tough game.
“I’ve only ever played there twice, believe it or not. It’s an amazing stadium, I’ve been there many times obviously to watch games but it’s a stadium I love to play at.”
On LCFC Radio, Nev Foulger and former City captain Steve Walsh appear on Pre-Match Pint from 6pm before switching over to Matchday Live an hour before kick-off.