Hughes: It's A Team Effort

- Defender Sam Hughes assesses Leicester City's final Premier League 2 fixture of the season
- The Club's Development Squad ended the campaign with a 3-1 success over Derby County on Monday
- Harvey Barnes got a brace and Hughes added his 12th goal of the season at King Power Stadium
- Hughes reveals the pride he takes in City's outstanding defensive record, the best in Division 1

In the final minutes at King Power Stadium, a quick-fire double from Harvey Barnes overturned Timi Max Elšnik's early effort before Hughes made sure of the result with his 12th goal of the season late on.

Following last weekend’s disappointing defeat at Sunderland, which put the Division 1 title beyond City's reach, Hughes was delighted to sign off the league season in such a positive fashion.

On the back of this result, the Foxes move up to second in Division 1, although they must wait to discover if Liverpool, in third, can defeat Chelsea next month before their final place is confirmed. 

“It showed great character from the lads to get back into the game, to keep pushing, and I think we scored three goals in seven or eight minutes,” Hughes, 21, told LCFC TV.

“It shows that we kept going until the end and we managed to get the three points. It’s really pleasing to know that we’ve secured a position at least in the top three.

“In the last two seasons, the lads have been down the bottom, fighting relegation to the last couple of games of the season, so it’s been nice having the pressure of trying to win a title.

Gallery 23 Apr 2018

Leicester City U23s 3 Derby County U23s 1

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“We needed that win tonight, I know you get nothing for finishing second or third, but as a team we wanted to finish as high as possible.”

While Hughes ends the league season as City’s top scorer, the former Chester centre back also played a significant role at the heart of a defence which conceded just 20 goals all year.

That statistic represents the best defensive record in Division 1, but Hughes was modest in his assessment, electing to praise the overall team spirit among the Club's Under-23s. 

“A lot of credit for that will go to the back four and that’s how people looking in with see it but it’s collectively as a team,” he added.

“Starting from the likes of Flash [Josh Gordon] up front, who doesn’t stop working throughout the whole game, and that allows us to squeeze up the pitch as high as we can.

“They all make our job a lot easier, so collectively, as a team, it’s not just down to us as a back four, it’s as a team that we’ve managed to do it.”