Steve Cooper is likely to make some changes to his starting XI for the upcoming Carabao Cup tie against Walsall, especially with a Premier League match against Arsenal looming next weekend. One player who might get a chance to feature is Portuguese full-back Ricardo Pereira. Though Pereira hasn’t appeared in the league this season, he did play in the 4-0 victory over Tranmere Rovers in the previous round.

Cooper praised Pereira’s professionalism, saying: “Ricky is an excellent pro and a very important figure in the dressing room and for the team’s culture. He leads by example. Of course, he wants to play games, but he knows there’s competition for places like everyone else. Sometimes you get the nod, and other times you don’t. We’re in a strong position at right-back, and whoever we pick, we’re confident in them.”

Regarding the upcoming cup match, Cooper added, “We’ll assess the physical impact of Saturday’s game and decide the best plan. It’s a game we want to win, and we’ll field an experienced and strong team, whether that includes changes or players who’ve been featuring in the league.”

Reflecting on the weekend’s 1-1 draw with Everton, Cooper concluded, “We deserved no more than a point.”

Steve Cooper reflected on his post-match comments following Leicester City’s 1-1 draw with Everton, expressing frustration with his team’s lackluster first-half performance but noting improvement after the break at a rain-soaked King Power Stadium.

“We were definitely the stronger team in the second half,” Cooper said. “The first half wasn’t anywhere near the level we needed to be at. It wouldn’t be right to pretend otherwise, and the players know that too.

“Our plan was to take the game to Everton, to be aggressive, but we didn’t do that at all. We moved the ball too slowly, didn’t play forward quickly enough, and lacked intensity when we did get it forward. We didn’t pose enough of a threat to Everton’s defense. Without the ball, we were second best in duels, in races, and on second balls. We deserved to be losing at that point.

“The players were aware of it, and I told them as well. But to their credit, instead of letting the game get worse, they responded by running more, fighting more, and winning more duels and tackles. Yes, Everton remained a counter-attacking threat, especially with players like Dominic Calvert-Lewin, but we showed the right intent in the second half.

“Stephy Mavididi had a big impact after the break. We weren’t creating many chances, but through better territory control, we eventually forced set-pieces and scored from one. After the equalizer, I felt we could push on and win, and we finished stronger, though we couldn’t find a second goal.”

In conclusion, Cooper added, “Looking back, it’s a game we should have done better in, but given how we played in the first half, it could have ended worse. A point was all we deserved.”

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