Leicestershire

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Leicester City manager Marti Cifuentes spoke to BBC Radio Leicester after his side drew 1-1 with West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns.

"It's mixed feelings. We had good control, good dominance in the first half – and it was a very good first half, but unfortunately we went down.

"Definitely we could have been more clinical in the last third to create clear chances, but I thought the team did a lot of good things.

"In the second half, of course the closer you get to the end the more emotional you become and a it gets a little bit more uncontrolled, but I think at the end we got what we deserved.

"The things I value a lot - the personality, the effort those guys are showing in every game - shows that this thing of 'Foxes never quit' is there, and we need to maintain that. But at the same time, we hope for even more quality in the last third to create more chances.

"We need to make sure that we are better than just chasing a draw in the last minute."

West Bromwich Albion will look to avoid a second consecutive loss at the Hawthorns when they host Leicester City on Friday night (20:00 BST).

The Baggies have proven to be a difficult customer on home ground over recent years but fell to Derby County in their last home match before conceding defeat again on the road against league leaders Middlesbrough.

But for Leicester, winning in West Bromwich hasn't been so difficult and they will be hungry for three points after two successive draws sees them one point outside the automatic promotion spots.

• West Bromwich Albion have lost each of their last five league matches against Leicester City, a run that stretches back to March 2018.

• Leicester have won their last six away league games against West Brom, with each win coming under a different manager (Pearson, Ranieri, Shakespeare, Puel, Rodgers, Maresca).

• West Brom lost their last home league game 1-0 against Derby, last losing consecutive league matches at the Hawthorns in October 2022.

• No Championship side have won more points from losing positions this season so far than Leicester (4), coming from behind to beat Sheffield Wednesday and draw with Oxford.

• Leicester have had the highest proportion of their total shots hit the target in the Championship this season (43%), ranking 12th for overall shots (77) but second for shots on target (33).

"[The Foxes] have not lost in 15 years at The Hawthorns.

"Friday night, under the floodlights. It probably would be a full house. Two Premier [League] sort of teams going head to head who are expected to go up. I think it's got the recipe to be a really good game."

On this week's When You're Smiling podcast, Jack Rafferty and former Leicester City goalkeeper coach and caretaker boss Mike Stowell preview the Friday night showdown at West Bromwich Albion. They also react to Marti Cifuentes comments this week after Louis Page signed his first professional contract for the club.

Listen to the full episode of When You're Smiling and more Leicester City on Sounds.

Image source, Getty Images

Leicester City boss Marti Cifuentes has been speaking to the media before his side's trip to West Bromwich Albion on Friday night (20:00 BST).

Here are the key lines:

• There are no additional injuries following their 0-0 draw against Coventry last Saturday.

• On academy graduate Louis Page, who signed his first professional contract after making his first-team debut this season against Huddersfield Town: "I'm a big believer in Louis' talent, I think he will be important and I'm very happy on the steps he's been taking since I've been here."

• Fellow graduate Luke Thomas also signed a new deal, with Cifuentes saying that the 24-year-old is "one of the best performers" in the squad.

• On Ryan Mason's West Bromwich Albion: "They are a good team with a good manager. It's a strong club in the Championship and especially at home, it's difficult to get points there. I'm sure if we keep on improving areas of the game - I was quite happy on the last performance despite the result - I think we could get something."

• On Stephy Mavididi and his missed chance against Coventry: "When a player has the quality he's got, there's always big expectations around him him. He knew it was a big chance but the thing I value is the most is he's trying. He's trying again and again.

• "He had a very good season two years ago in the Championship so probably everyone expects him to be at the same level if not better. It's not easy for him, the last season was not the best for him."