Newport County Vs Leicester City: Foxes warned ahead of FA Cup tie

Leicester City manager Claude Puel has warned his players ahead of the FA Cup tie with Newport County at Rodney Parade on Sunday.

It looks like Puel is slightly worried about the Exiles because of their miraculous 1-1 draw at home against Tottenham Hotspur last season, forcing a replay.

And an FA Cup replay really is the worst thing in the world at this time of the year, especially if you play in the Premier League. Plus, of course, bearing the ignominy of the inability to beat a League 2 side – with all due respect – is not easy.

With all of that in mind, Puel has asked his players to be ready for a good game and not let the cup weave its fabled magic.

"“It is important to look at this team and look at the history of this team,” said Puel.“Last season they played well with good results at home against Spurs and it will be a tough match because it’s difficult to play against this team on a small pitch.“They also play rugby on this pitch as well so I don’t know if the pitch is good to play football.“They are a physical team with a fighting spirit. It is a typical of the cup and we need to be ready for their fighting spirit, be strong in our heads and be ready to play a good game.”"

The usual faces are likely to be seen on the bench – or maybe not even there – as Puel will rotate his side. It will therefore be a good opportunity for the younger players to shine and make their case, says the Frenchman.

"“I think we need to be ready because I know the tradition of the cup,” he told a press conference.“In France it is also a big tradition and we know from all the teams playing in different leagues it is a fantastic opportunity to play against a Premier League team and to try to create an upset.“It is difficult but we need to be strong in this situation. It is a good learning curve for the young players to adapt to the pitch and the tradition.“The cup is not just about games against Premier League teams. It is why people love it because anything is possible.“We have to play away in different and difficult conditions and we need to adapt.”"

Leicester fans will hope that Puel names a strong enough team to beat Newport tomorrow in order to keep their hopes of winning some silverware alive. Having already gone out of the Carabao Cup in the quarter-final, the FA Cup remains the only trophy that the Foxes have a realistic chance of winning, given how the other bigger teams are increasingly prioritising the league and a UEFA Champions League spot.

But let us not go there for now. At the moment, the only aim should be to get a win and move on.