Beaglehole Eyes International Cup Progression

- Under-23s boss previews Leicester City's Premier League International Cup group fixture at Sunderland
- The Foxes meet the Black Cats at the Stadium of Light on Tuesday evening (7pm kick-off)
- A win will certainly be enough for City to qualify for the knockout stage of the competition
- The Club's Development Squad have overcome Hertha Berlin and drawn with Legia Warsaw already

The Foxes know a victory will confirm their place in Monday’s Quarter-Finals draw and they have impressed many already in the Premier League’s European competition this season.

A 3-0 success over Hertha Berlin at King Power Stadium in September was followed by a hard-fought 2-2 draw with Legia Warsaw at Holmes Park before Christmas.

While Beaglehole is aware of the task at hand against Sunderland, a side who held them to a 0-0 stalemate in Premier League 2 back in November, he remains optimistic nonetheless.

“It’s a cup game and, if we win, we are certain to go through,” he said. “That’s a great competition because it could give us another opportunity to play against foreign opposition.

“We very much want to proceed in that competition. It’s a competition which we have done tremendously well in already and we want to continue that.”

Following a 4-2 reverse at Oldham Athletic in the Checkatrade Trophy, City’s 19-game unbeaten run came to a close, but Beaglehole wants his side to embark on another good patch of form.

In the Premier League International Cup, the Foxes sit top of Group B with four points, the same tally as Sunderland, one ahead of Hertha and two clear of Legia. 

“After the result at Oldham, we want to bounce back as quickly as possible and Tuesday is a great opportunity to do that ahead of a couple of big games in the league,” he added.

“Against Legia, the main objective was to not get beat and that result gives us a great chance of progressing further into the next round. We’re in a good position ahead of Sunderland.”