Leicester City boss explains what Foxes are ‘talking about’ ahead of Man Utd test as he responds to Amorim or Van Nistelrooy query

Leicester City boss Steve Cooper has urged his players to ‘think big’ this season as they prepare to take on Manchester United for the second time in 10 days after a 5-2 defeat to Ruud van Nisterlrooy’s side in the Carabao Cup.

Speaking ahead of kick-off, Cooper expressed his excitement about travelling to Old Trafford again and has insisted it will be a different game this time around.

The former Nottingham Forest boss explained to the Leicester Mercury: “It was a League Cup game and now it’s in the league. They’ve got a few players back and that makes a difference.

“Whenever you play Man Utd, home or away, you come up against a team with talented players and you have to be mindful of that. We’re looking forward to going there again. We’re disappointed we only got a draw against Ipswich and we want to get back on the winning trail.”

The match marks the final game of Van Nistelrooy’s interim stint before the imminent arrival of highly-rated Sporting Lisbon boss Ruben Amorim, who only added to the hype surrounding him with an emphatic 4-1 victory over Manchester City in his final match in the Portuguese capital.

When asked which manager he would rather face, Cooper responded: “You’ve got to deal with whatever’s in front of you.

“It’s been of interest around the world what's happening at United. The same as the first game, it’s about us focusing on ourselves.

“If we want to succeed in any game, it’s on us. It’s a tough game, but a challenge we’re looking forward to.”

Leicester are currently 15th in the table, just two points behind Manchester United, who currently sit in 13th position. 

A victory for the Foxes would see them leapfrog Manchester United in the league table. 

“There’s always an opportunity. We’re not going into the game with that in mind,” Cooper explained.

He added: “We have got to believe in the game plan. It’s not something we’re talking about. We’re talking about getting certain players in certain positions and having an impact on the game.

“We want to believe we can go there and succeed. It was a frustrating last result. We’re looking forward to thriving under the challenge.”