Popular pundit trio predict Leicester loss as Cooper distances from Maresca
A trio of popular pundits have, unfortunately, predicted a loss for Leicester City against Crystal Palace. Former Blackburn Rovers and Celtic centre forward Chris Sutton, Rovers and Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer and Arsenal hero Paul Merson think the Eagles will be too much for the east Midlanders to handle. But what did the retired professionals say exactly? And what were their respective scoreline expectations, if any were offered?
There is another interesting story to cover, as LCFC manager Steve Cooper seemingly distanced himself from Championship-winning ex-King Power boss Enzo Maresca and his methodology. The one-time Nottingham Forest gaffer clearly wants to establish his own footballing philosophies. Not to mention the 44-year-old also wishing to instil his own mentality on the forewarned Foxes squad. So what was Cooper's statement from the latest pre-match press conference?
Foxes forecasts for awkward trip to South London
Palace haven't exactly begun the season as they would have liked to. But the English capital team are a very dangerous bunch on their day under latest chief Oliver Glasner. Even though Michael Olise left the roster for Bayern Munich in Germany, there is a definite spark through current talisman Eberechi Eze.
Although it gives me no pleasure to admit this, Glasner and his men could inflict quite a damaging defeat on LCFC. I'm still backing Cooper as a decent choice to pilot the Foxes to survival this campaign. Nevertheless, he certainly has a heavy and daunting task on his hands.
Of course, you can't expect City to get much from away trips to so-called 'big six clubs', nor the top seven or even the 'big eight' sides. Yet points must begin to transpire from the upcoming type of difficult but ultimately winnable game.
So, what did Sutton, Shearer and Merson predict? A brief caution: this will not be easy reading for the Blue Army!
First of all the ex-Hoops attacker, who is rarely kind or even fair to Leicester for some strange reason, actually wasn't the greatest voice of doom on this occasion. Though Sutton does suggest Palace are too good for City. He believes Glasner's team will secure a maiden victory of 2024/25 versus LCFC; predicting a 2-1 CPFC triumph.
It's former Gunner Mers' who expects a 3-0 win for Palace. Meanwhile the Magpies icon says it'll be a tough one for the Leicestershire group. Shearer foresees a home victory.
Steve Cooper alters Leicester City direction
Cooper appears to be heading in different direction to Maresca:
"You’re given a job with the intention to do it your way. Part of that is what I want as a team, the challenge of what’s in front of you – and the context there is the step up to the Premier League – and then identifying and respecting what had gone on before you.
- Steve Cooper
There is a balance of taking some of the things that have gone really well while tailoring it towards what I want and what we want, and the completely different challenge of the Premier League. We’re really clear on that. We’ve been really clear on that from day one. The players will be as well.
Then it’s about delivery in games and becoming good at what we want. You see the players who are really buying into it and really going for it, and that can do it. The way I’m asking the team to play is not easy.
There are some changes to last year on the basis of what I just said. The challenge is giving all of that to the players and then supporting them in delivering and seeing how they go with it."
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