Van Nistelrooy on Leicester hosting struggling Manchester City

Van Nistelrooy on Leicester hosting struggling Manchester City  Shot 26/12/2024 embargoed until 27/12/2024  Anfield, Liverpool, UK

Transcript

00:00I suppose there's going to be an awful lot of focus on Manchester City given their poor run of form at the moment,

00:13but this is massive for you, isn't it, at this stage of the season?

00:18Because this will be the halfway stage of the season when you concluded that game.

00:22Yeah, for us, all the 2021 games that we're playing are massive.

00:33We know that a certain amount of points are necessary to stay in,

00:37and every second of every game is big for us, and that's the Premier League.

00:44That is for all the teams, to win it or to be in the Champions League, to be in Europe,

00:51and also in the relegation zone, so it's something that is constant,

00:56constant improvement, constant pressure to perform and get results.

01:01So it's from game to game, like today, we close the game, we evaluate the game

01:07and make a game plan to get a result on Sunday against City, and that's the job that we do.

01:14Sounds a daft thing to say, I suppose, but is it a good time to play Manchester City?

01:18Ah, yeah, everybody knows, and when you look at the team that played today and how they played,

01:26because I saw the game, I saw the previous games as well,

01:30I know the quality of that squad, that team, that manager,

01:35so I'm focusing on that and the quality that we will face,

01:41and we have to prepare for a great performance on our side, you know?

01:48Being Leicester in the moment where we are, we need to be spot-on in all parts of football to get a result.

01:54And you've got players to assess ahead of Sunday, Jamie Vardy, one of those?

01:59Jamie Vardy, Wout Vaes, one of those, it's doubtful.

02:04Jamie has a good chance, hopefully he can make it,

02:08and Hermansen, as I said before, he's going to need a bit longer to recover.

02:13Rupert, does the game plan tonight give you a basis for which to work on Sunday?

02:19I think yes, because the quality that we're facing and the dominance of Liverpool

02:28and Manchester City in games possession-wise,

02:32and how the game will go and what we have to do well,

02:38I think there's a link in today's game and Sunday,

02:43but of course playing at home can have a different approach as well,

02:49instead of playing at Anfield.

02:52Harry Boon has made his first start under you tonight, what's he going to bring to the team?

02:57Yeah, we know Harry, you all know Harry, he's a great midfield player,

03:03very creative, makes us play, knows the Premier League,

03:09knows what it needs to get results.

03:12He was very positive today because we had to defend a lot,

03:16but he did a great job in there as well,

03:18although he's more famous for his footballing skills on the ball.

03:22So I think on and off the ball he's doing great, he's helping the team,

03:27and of course after 60 minutes I had to be looking after him,

03:32because it's a short turnaround to Sunday to get him fresh and fit for Sunday.

03:39Sorry, can I just check with Klopp and KC, any update on that?

03:43No update, not involved in team training, so not available for Sunday.

03:54OK, thank you.

03:55Thanks, everyone.