Really Important To Win, Says Martin

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Really Important To Win, Says Martin

Russell Martin praised the way his side went about their business in the 3-0 triumph over Wigan Athletic on Tuesday evening.

2026-10-28T09:00+00:00

by Sam Jones

Published

28 Oct, 2026

Really Important To Win, Says Martin

Russell Martin praised the way his side went about their business in the 3-0 triumph over Wigan Athletic on Tuesday evening.

Sam Jones

2026-10-28T09:00+00:00

Really Important To Win, Says Martin

Russell Martin praised the way his side went about their business in the 3-0 triumph over Wigan Athletic on Tuesday evening.

Sam Jones

2026-10-28T09:00+00:00

Really Important To Win, Says Martin

Russell Martin praised the way his side went about their business in the 3-0 triumph over Wigan Athletic on Tuesday evening.

Sam Jones

2026-10-28T09:00+00:00

Really Important To Win, Says Martin

Russell Martin praised the way his side went about their business in the 3-0 triumph over Wigan Athletic on Tuesday evening.

Sam Jones

2026-10-28T09:00+00:00

We beat Wigan Athletic 3-0 in Sky Bet League One on Tuesday night
Emil Riis (2) and Bobby De Cordova-Reid scored our goals at King Power Stadium
Manager Russell Martin assessed our victory, a third in four games, post-match

We returned to winning ways following defeat at Luton Town three days earlier with Emil Riis’ brace backed up by Bobby De Cordova-Reid’s late penalty to secure maximum points at King Power Stadium on the day a memorial service was held eight years on from the tragic events of 27 October, 2018, as we continue to honour the memory of five people whose loss will forever be felt at Leicester City.

“I think it was a really important night for us, in many ways,” Martin began, speaking after full-time on Filbert Way. “Firstly, to honour Khun Vichai in the right way and to make sure we did that proud and the family proud.

“We had a remembrance ceremony here this morning and I never met him but I can see how much he influenced people here and the effect he had on people's lives, and actually, how much he changed the fortunes of this Football Club, and the city in general.

“I'm really glad we honoured that well tonight. It was a big part of the discussion today. We scored a set play, big credit to Andy King and the guys. Kingy is obviously someone who knew him and had a relationship with him, so it's been a really emotional day, to be honest.

“But I love the energy of the team. We played really well and maybe we could have had one or two more goals if we’re really picky. But I really enjoyed the performance, and I loved the subs who came on as well. They really actually added energy and strengthened us and we're going to need that a lot this season.

“It was a big, big effort. We were frustrated with Saturday. I thought we'd still made progress. We should have got a point away at Luton, and we were frustrated not to, and then today we've picked up three points, so we have a chance to build again on that on Saturday and make it a really, really positive period for us.”

Riis is certainly a man in form in front of goal, with six Sky Bet League One goals to his name so far this term, finding the net early on in the contest prior to getting on the end of Luke Thomas’ pinpoint cross in the second half.

“I've been really demanding of Emil,” Martin admitted. “I wasn't very happy with his performance on Saturday. He wasn't very happy with himself. He’s really demanding of himself. Today he was brilliant, linked the game, a real threat.

“His effort levels are always immense, physically, but I felt when the game became a little bit open on Saturday, he just wasn’t in the right place enough.

Photo 1/23

Imagery from our league encounter with Wigan Athletic on Filbert Way on Tuesday night.

“I want him to do less and to be in the middle of the goal more. We want him to be there a lot, and he's been so used to in his career running here, there, and everywhere, so I'm really pleased tonight he gets two goals in the middle of the box.

“Lukey Thomas’ cross for him was outstanding. Big credit to Emil. He's playing a different way of playing for him, and he's adapted so well. He's an amazing person to work with, wants to learn, wants to get better, like so many of them who have come here in the summer.

“He’s got a really nice relationship with some of the guys and he'll keep growing with us, I really believe that, and he’ll be such a threat. It's not just the goals he brings; it's every single way he pressed tonight and the energy when he takes the ball in and links with people.

“I think he'll get better and better, because he's learning, he's adapting, and I think physically he'll keep getting better. He’s not had a pre-season like so many of the players, which is frustrating.

“We have Will [Smallbone] and Conor [Chaplin] in that instance tonight as well, in that same situation. They got a brilliant 60 minutes and they’ll keep getting better and better, and the team just has to keep growing.”

It was a much stronger Foxes performance, boosted by a clean sheet, and Martin praised goalkeeper Alex McCarthy for the part he played in claiming victory on home soil. With three wins in four, momentum is starting to build, he feels, ahead of Stevenage being due here this Saturday.

Our Manager continued: “We conceded on Saturday, and then we had the clean sheet today, and limited them after their first two chances on transition, which were frustrating. But Alex produced two really good saves, one from outside the box and one in. He's been huge for us recently. I'm loving how Alex is playing.

“There were some big performances today and I'm really proud of them for the clean sheet and also it was a really good, professional performance. It can be better, of course. We'll always demand better, but we did enough to win the game.

“It's going take another really big effort on Saturday. We have to keep building and keep growing. We have to grow. With that comes energy and the crowd were fantastic tonight.

“Hopefully they’re starting to see a team that they really like. We ran really hard tonight, we worked really hard, we stole the ball a lot and we have to keep that up.”

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