Cooper treating Nottingham Forest reunion ´like any other game´

Steve Cooper insisted that he will treat Leicester’s upcoming Premier League fixture like “any other game” as he prepares to face former club Nottingham Forest for the first time.

Cooper spent two years at the City Ground, guiding the Tricky Trees to the top-flight in his first season in charge, despite taking over the club when they were bottom of the Championship.

The Welshman guided Forest to safety in his first season in the Premier League but was dismissed in December 2023 after a run of one win in 13 matches.

Coming into Friday’s game on the back of consecutive wins, Cooper was not drawn into the emotions of facing his former employers and is confident the Foxes can continue their forward momentum.

“I’m looking forward to it like any other game. It’s a very good culture here and even though we didn’t get the results in the early season, it’s always been a motivated and hard-working training ground,” Cooper said.

“We look forward to every single game day. Forest is the next game, it doesn’t matter who we are playing because we are so focused on ourselves. We are enjoying the journey that we are on.

“It was important we brought in extra players in the summer and in they had to bring some experience and know-how.”

Friday night, under the lights! #LEINFO pic.twitter.com/IbatlUI6oU

— Leicester City (@LCFC) October 23, 2024

Forest, meanwhile, travel to their East Midlands rivals after downing Crystal Palace on Monday, moving them to eighth in the Premier League table after eight games.

The Tricky Trees have improved under Nuno Espirito Santo this season, though the Forest boss was quick to praise the job Cooper had done in his short tenure with the Foxes.

“Tough team, tough match. They have come from two good performances and two good results, it’s not easy to achieve back-to-back wins in the Premier League, they have done it. That should tell that they are in a good moment playing good,” Nuno said.

“It is going to be hard and tough, and you go there to try and fight and be better than them. It’s always the same philosophy.

Nuno will, however, not be on the touchline at the King Power Stadium as he serves the second game of his three-match ban, but said his absence from the sidelines will not affect preparations.

“We have taken care of that and making sure things go normal like they did in this game. We have constant communication with the coaching staff, we know that we are trying to prepare that in Leicester and hopefully, we can do the same,” he concluded.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Leicester – Facundo Buonanotte

Buonanotte has been involved in five goals in his last six Premier League appearances for Leicester (three goals, two assists).

The 19-year-old could become just the 10th teenager to score or assist in four appearances in a row and be the first since Evan Ferguson for Brighton in January 2023.

Nottingham Forest – Elliot Anderson

Anderson is one of only three players to create five or more chances and complete five or more dribbles in a Premier League match this season after his impressive display against Crystal Palace (five chances created and six completed dribbles).

This campaign, only Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah against Bournemouth and Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka against Leicester have achieved that feat.

Magic feet, @elljanderson pic.twitter.com/wa7EUq9CsL

— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) October 22, 2024

MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW

Leicester have won their last two Premier League home games against Forest (December 1998 and October 2022), having won neither of their first two in the competition (D1 L1).

After winning none of their first six Premier League games this season (D3 L3), Leicester have since won both of their last two. The Foxes last won three successive matches in the competition in January 2021 under Brendan Rodgers.

And expect an entertaining affair. There have been at least four goals scored in all four of the Foxes Premier League home games against Forest.

But Forest arrive at the King Power Stadium with confidence. They are unbeaten in their last six away games in the Premier League (W4 D2); their longest run without an away defeat in the top-flight since February-October 1995 (12 games).

The Tricky Trees also won 2-0 against Leicester in their last league meeting (January 2023), last winning consecutive league games against the Foxes in March 2005 and December 2009.

Only Liverpool (three) have conceded fewer goals than Forest (six) in the Premier League so far this season, while Nuno’s side also rank third for expected goals against (8.81). They conceded 20 shots against Crystal Palace last time out, yet still held them to under one expected goal (0.97).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Leicester – 37.3%

Draw – 26.4%

Nottingham Forest – 36.3%