Tielemans Lauds City's 'Quality Play'

LCFC Men
21 Dec 2022
2 Minutes
Youri Tielemans, Leicester City's captain for the night, took pride in the quality on show in Tuesday's 3-0 win at MK Dons in the Carabao Cup.

- Leicester City defeated MK Dons 3-0 in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday
- Youri Tielemans, Ayoze Pérez and Jamie Vardy netted for City at Stadium MK
- No.8 Tielemans was overjoyed with the quality of the Foxes' football
- He also looks ahead to Boxing Day's encounter with Newcastle United

The Belgium midfielder, one of five players to return from the FIFA World Cup and go straight into City's XI in Milton Keynes, opened the scoring for the visitors early on. Ayoze Pérez's skilful strike doubled the advantage for the Foxes, before Jamie Vardy's second-half header made it three. 

It was a satisfactory return to competitive action for Brendan Rodgers' men, who ended the first part of the season in extraordinary form. After that victory at Stadium MK this week, Leicester have now won six of their last seven games in all competitions.

"It was very good," said Tielemans, City's No.8, who wore the captain's armband in Buckinghamshire. "Obviously, we're through to the next round. We had some quality play, we didn't concede any goals and scored three goals, so it's really, really pleasing to come back in this way.

They always travel with us, they're always behind us and even through tough times at the start of the season, they were there.

Youri Tielemans on LCFC's fans

"I'm very happy. I think to come back in that way, to win our first game and to show some quality on the pitch... and I think the manager said it in the changing room as well, it didn't feel like we broke off for so long. It felt very comfortable and very good out there."

Leicester were backed by 6,559 supporters at MK Dons on Tuesday night - a fact not lost on Tielemans or any of his team-mates.

"It was very impressive, I think!" the former AS Monaco man added. "There were more behind that goal than in the other [part of the] stadium.

"They always travel with us, they're always behind us and even through tough times at the start of the season, they were there. It's pleasing to see and hopefully we can give something back with a performance like this tonight."

It's a return to Premier League responsibilities on Boxing Day for City, with high-flying Newcastle United set to visit King Power Stadium. It's a clash which puts Leicester up against one of the season's in-form outfits and Tielemans is excited for the challenge which awaits.

"Obviously, the Premier League is back and it's going to be a good game on Boxing Day and a great atmosphere, I'm sure," he explained. "Hopefully we'll get another win. We can enjoy this game because it was a good one and we are through to the next round.

"We are very happy as a team. From tomorrow on, we'll focus on Boxing Day and try to get a win."