It’s Good To Be Back, Says Evans

- Leicester City travel to face Newcastle United in the Premier League on Sunday
- Jonny Evans spoke to LCFC TV earlier this week to give his pre-match thoughts
- St. James’ Park is always a difficult place to go and get a result, he believes
- Evans has returned from injury to help City record a series of impressive results

The Foxes travel to St. James’ Park less than 72 hours after their excellent UEFA Europa Conference League victory over PSV Eindhoven, as focus shifts back to league matters and the aim of continuing a fine recent run of four wins and just one defeat from their last six top-flight outings.

That upturn in form has coincided with the experienced centre-back’s return from a hamstring injury which kept him out for three months of the season, resuming a partnership with Wesley Fofana at the heart of the backline.

Options are now available across the pitch - seven changes were made to the team that went on to beat Crystal Palace last weekend. The Northern Ireland international, who was rested for that fixture, feels City have now come out the other side of a difficult spell.

“It’s good to be back for myself personally,” the 34-year-old told LCFC TV ahead of the game. “It’s been a strange season, I suppose. We’ve had lots of injuries and they all seemed to be at the same time and some long-term ones. I think it’s been difficult for the Club; it’s been difficult for the manager and players who have been playing.

“Especially over the winter period it was quite crazy the way it happened, and I think everyone’s handled it really well, it’s been a tough period, but we’ve come through it. Everyone seems to be getting back fit and after the last couple of results it seems like we’re going in the right direction again.

“We’re back to ourselves and you can see that being able to rest players and rotate them. Sometimes as a player, knowing you’ve got people on the bench that can come on, it can take that pressure off you if you’re not having such a good game and share the load really.”

Two in-form teams will be battling it out in the north east, with Eddie Howe’s side also enjoying a fruitful period in their campaign since the turn of the year. Newcastle went unbeaten in the league between the end of December and mid-March, winning six out of and nine and collecting 21 points from a possible 27.

The Magpies have moved themselves up to 15th, 10 points clear of the relegation zone before this weekend’s matches get underway.

Although Brendan Rodgers’ men came out on top when the sides met at King Power Stadium in December, triumphing 4-0, Evans is anticipating a different challenge this time around and admits it is a difficult one to call. Newcastle have several new faces in the dressing room and will be backed by over 50,000 supporters.

The former Manchester United defender continued: “They’ve had a good run of late, they’ve had a bit of a change since the last time we played them. The game earlier in the season was quite convincing but it’ll be a tougher game away at St. James’ Park without doubt.

“Obviously they’ve a new manager, some new players coming in, and probably a more difficult game. When they’ve signed players that have improved their team, you expect that. They’ve signed Chris Wood who brings something else to their front line and they’ve got great players on the break.

"[Allan] Saint-Maximin is playing really well, and they are always a threat. Dan Burn has come in from Brighton and gives them that threat from set pieces as well and probably makes them more secure at the back.

"We know it’s going to be a tough game. I think Newcastle are a difficult opponent, they make you work for it. Their fans always demand that they give 100 per cent and playing at St. James’ Park, it’s always a tough place.

“The atmosphere will be good, they get behind the team and probably the fact that they are on a little bit of a good spell at the minute, that will definitely lift the stadium and it’ll be good to go there and sample that and see what they are about.”