Ranieri: We're Ready For Derby Battle

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Ranieri: We're Ready For Derby Battle

Claudio Ranieri is expecting a battle when Leicester City resume their East Midlands rivalry with Derby County in the Emirates FA Cup on Friday night (7.55pm kick-off).

2017-01-27T11:00:00.000Z

by Leicester City

Published

27 Jan, 2017

Ranieri: We're Ready For Derby Battle

Claudio Ranieri is expecting a battle when Leicester City resume their East Midlands rivalry with Derby County in the Emirates FA Cup on Friday night (7.55pm kick-off).

Leicester City

2017-01-27T11:00:00.000Z

Ranieri: We're Ready For Derby Battle

Claudio Ranieri is expecting a battle when Leicester City resume their East Midlands rivalry with Derby County in the Emirates FA Cup on Friday night (7.55pm kick-off).

Leicester City

2017-01-27T11:00:00.000Z

Ranieri: We're Ready For Derby Battle

Claudio Ranieri is expecting a battle when Leicester City resume their East Midlands rivalry with Derby County in the Emirates FA Cup on Friday night (7.55pm kick-off).

Leicester City

2017-01-27T11:00:00.000Z

Ranieri: We're Ready For Derby Battle

Claudio Ranieri is expecting a battle when Leicester City resume their East Midlands rivalry with Derby County in the Emirates FA Cup on Friday night (7.55pm kick-off).

Leicester City

2017-01-27T11:00:00.000Z

- Claudio Ranieri wants to see fight from his players against Derby County in the Emirates FA Cup on Friday night

- Leicester City travel to Pride Park as favourites for the clash with Steve McClaren's Championship promotion hopefuls

- The Foxes have won eight of their last nine encounters with Derby but Ranieri has called for focus from his players

- City boss Ranieri expects East Midlands rivals Derby to provide a tough test for his Premier League champions

Claudio Ranieri is expecting a battle when Leicester City resume their East Midlands rivalry with Derby County in the Emirates FA Cup on Friday night (7.55pm kick-off).

The Foxes travel to Pride Park to face Steve McClaren’s Championship play-off hopefuls for the first time since 2014 and Ranieri says he is acutely aware of the long history behind the fixture.

As Premier League champions, City go into the fourth round clash as favourites and have won eight of their last nine encounters in previous seasons but Ranieri is anticipating a stern test nonetheless.

Speaking to the national media on Thursday afternoon, the Leicester boss said: “I am looking for a good team to fight tomorrow at Derby. We want to get through in the FA Cup – that is now my focus.

“It will be a battle tomorrow. We know our fans and also the Derby fans expect a very good match tomorrow. We are ready.”

Derby recently signed former Foxes striker David Nugent, who scored a brace against his current employers in the last meeting between the two sides, and Ranieri has acknowledged his prowess in front of goal.

“He is a goalscorer, of course, but we think about all the team because Derby play very well and move the ball,” he added.

“When McClaren came, they only had two defeats since October. They made seven victories in a row so they are full of confidence and they want to beat us. I know there is history but a derby is a derby in every country.

“Four times we have achieved the final [of the FA Cup] and now we go step by step. I understand Steve wants to put them as underdogs – that is normal because we are in the Premier League. We must win – that is it.”

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