Leicester v Nottingham Forest: Fan questionspublished at 17:00 24 October
17:00 24 October
After a season away, Leicester City and Nottingham Forest resume their East Midlands rivalry when they face off in the Premier League at King Power Stadium on Friday.
While they go head to head on the pitch, we have asked our fan writers for each club to go head to head off it.
Each fan got to ask three questions to each other before the big game...
Buonanotte the main 'threat' to Forestpublished at 17:00 24 October
17:00 24 October
Kate Blakemore Fan writer
Here is what our Foxes fan Kate Blakemore had to say in response to questions from our Forest fan Saveena Johal.
What do you make of Steve Cooper's start at Leicester, when also thinking about how his spell went at Forest?
Cooper's start has felt a little stuttered.
He has an overly cautious approach to games. While understandable with a newly promoted side, it can also appear like he is afraid to remove the shackles.
This seems to follow some of the attritional football he used at Forest, hoping for a counter-attack. But the team he inherited are used to possession-based tactics.
He is still finding his feet and, after two crucial wins on the bounce, we are now heading into Friday looking to get nine points from nine.
He is yet to figure out his starting XI, but improvements are being seen and hopefully this winning run can be extended and confidence can grow.
Which Leicester player would you say Forest should be most worried about?
Facundo Buonanotte. The 19-year-old loanee from Brighton has already become a fan favourite.
The Argentine has shown the skill and flair now expected from a nation of great footballers and is our joint top scorer with Vardy.
He has ability and skill probably last seen in a Leicester shirt with Riyad Mahrez and his goalscoring ability from anywhere on the pitch has left defenders in his wake.
He is the main threat and has improved each game - both creatively and physically. His link-up play with Abdul Fatawu on the right has been successful and this partnership looks increasingly threatening.
What areas of Leicester's team are you concerned Forest might be able to exploit?
We have conceded so many goals down our right-hand side. James Justin has had a tough start and is often overloaded each game. He is arguably a natural left-back, but has been chosen to play on the right in place of Ricardo Pereira, with Victor Kristiansen being preferred on the left.
Cooper is also consistently playing Wilfred Ndidi as a high eight, which hampers our attacking options. Ndidi certainly has a place in the 13 or 14 players used each game, but his ability on the ball is poor, the passing can be left wanting and he is not reactive enough in attacking opportunities.
Many will say his stats are encouraging (most assists in the team) but this more highlights Leicester's low tally of attacking plays rather than Ndidi's prowess. He is a ball-winning, destructive defensive midfielder by trade and this is where he should stay. As the expression goes - if it looks like a duck...
'Unreal' Anderson the one to watch against Foxespublished at 17:00 24 October
17:00 24 October
Saveena Johal Fan writer
Here is what our Forest fan Saveena Johal had to say in response to questions from our Foxes fan Kate Blakemore.
Who is 'one to watch' in Nottingham Forest's team?
Elliot Anderson has been unreal for us from the moment we signed him, to the dismay of majority of the Newcastle fanbase.
He has recently garnered a lot of attention, having had the opportunity to start in place of Morgan Gibbs-White. During the recent Crystal Palace match, he nonchalantly whipped through their defence twice within the space of 20 seconds. It was a beautiful sight, and we are expecting more of the same on Friday.
He has also been brilliant for England Under-21s, and it is only a matter of time until he makes it into the senior squad.
What is the Forest goalkeeper's biggest weakness?
At a stretch, this would likely be catching crosses.
Saying that, Matz Sels used to struggle with saving long shots until the Chelsea game when this seemed to instantaneously improve. He has plenty of strengths, so we are extremely confident in his abilities as a number one keeper.
He has had many standout performances recently, and so momentum is high.
What area or position of the pitch has led to the most goals conceded?
With the second-best defensive record so far this season, we have not had many problems with conceding.
Of the six goals we have let in, four of these have been within the penalty area. Two goals just outside of the penalty area came during the Wolves and Brighton matches, with the former being a brilliant strike that Selz could not do an awful lot with.
This is in stark contrast to last season, particularly when we consider the improvements in set-piece defending.
Pereira not starting and is Hermansen 'one of the best in the league'?published at 12:17 24 October
12:17 24 October
We asked for your views on one thing nobody is talking about at Leicester.
Here are some of your comments:
Chris: Why can't Ricardo Pereira, our best right back, get a start? Justin has done OK, but is probably at his best on the left where Kristiansen has been inconsistent. But Ricardo isn't getting a chance. Who's he offended?
Ben: I think Buanonotte is a hidden gem and could be so good in the future. He’s already lighting up the Premier League as a teenager but he’s on loan at us. This is like the same situation as Fatawu last season. We need to sign him on a permanent deal in my opinion because he could be so good in a couple of years.
Reuben: Everyone's too busy raving about Buonanotte or Fatawu to notice Hermansen. Give this guy some respect! I think he's right up there in the conversation for one of the best keepers in the league.
Northern fox: I think the thing no one is talking about is that the fans expectations haven't been realistic since we were relegated. We aren't challenging for Europe, we have had financial uncertainty. Cooper has done a good job of balancing the team with limited resources. The online 'fans' particularly are becoming the downfall of the club, it's sad to see.
Basil: There's a resilience building in the squad that we've not seen since the Claudio days. I'm still concerned about the lack of leaders on the pitch, but credit to Steve Cooper for instilling the fighting spirit.
Alan: What’s happening with the stadium extension and additional facilities?
'This is just about the game' - Cooper steers clear of Reds past before reunionpublished at 15:29 23 October
15:29 23 October
Nick Mashiter BBC Sport football news reporter
Leicester boss Steve Cooper refused to speak about his Nottingham Forest past before his City Ground return.
The 44-year-old faces Forest for the first time since being sacked last December at King Power Stadium on Friday.
Cooper, who spent just over two years at the City Ground, guided Forest back to the Premier League for the first time in 23 years when they won the Championship play-offs in 2022.
The Foxes are looking for three straight wins after victories over Bournemouth and Southampton - and Cooper was eager to steer clear of his past.
He said: "We did all that in the summer. It's about the work with the club here and the players here. It doesn’t matter who we play now - that's completely where my focus is.
"That's enough to consume me and my mind. People that know me will know I stay on task with the job I do and don't let anything interfere with that. That is the same this week."
Forest are eighth after beating Crystal Palace 1-0 on Monday, but a Leicester win would leave them a point behind and lift them into the top 10.
Cooper added: "This is just about the game. This is just about the players we are working with and the staff, getting ready for an exciting game - Friday night under the lights, live on TV.
"This is why the team fought so hard last year to get back in the Premier League, and the same for the opposition as well. That's where my focus is. There is no time to think about anything else.
"I don't want to think about anything else because the moment you are not 100% committed or focused on the job in hand you get punished."
Cooper on Forest reunion, competition for places and 'believing in our way'published at 15:21 23 October
15:21 23 October
Ciara Fleming BBC Sport researcher
Leicester City boss Steve Cooper has been speaking to the media before Friday's Premier League game against Nottingham Forest (kick-off 20:00 BST).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
On injuries: "Pato [Daka] has been on the grass and is progressing with his rehab. Jannik [Vestergaard] has had a recurrence of his ankle. It is a bit uncertain but hopefully it will only be a couple of weeks. Aside from that, we are as we were."
His reflections on the win at Southampton: "The last-minute goal painted the headlines but apart from the poor start we were the better team. We were more than good for the win over the 90 minutes. And there's no better reward for the players' commitment than winning matches."
On the performances of Jordan Ayew and Facundo Buonanotte: "We feel we have a good variety in the team, both in positions and age and experience. We keep saying that this is a Premier League club in every shape and form, but we left and we came back. We have to try to become an established Premier League team again. It was important we brought in some experience and know-how in the summer."
On competition for places in the squad: "The reality is that you need a squad because it is more than an 11-man game. It's a dangerous game when you don't have competition for places. There will be players on the wrong side of selection who will create questions. Every week I get asked, but that is just the nature of the job."
On facing former club Nottingham Forest: "It's a perfect game, whether it's the first or last game of the season, because it is a local game. These are games you want to be a part of. You can't fear them. You have to show who you are. Friday is a good opportunity to do that."
On the Forest fans: "I’ve not thought about it [the reception], to be honest. It's all about the game. I don't think about anything else."
On enjoying life at Leicester: "I've really enjoyed it. It's a great infrastructure with wonderful facilities. We enjoy our work and enjoy being part of this club. Having the two victories in the past two games has been great because we have seen the joy it has brought to the fans, the staff and the players."
Cooper added: "You always want more and there's definitely more to give. We see a lot of good in the performances but there's a lot we are still pushing the players on. There will be times where I am sitting here in difficult moments but we have to keep believing in our way."
What is the one thing nobody is talking about? published at 10:55 23 October
10:55 23 October
Leicester fans - Steve Cooper's position was on the table after a slow start to the season, but consecutive Premier League wins against Bournemouth and Southampton have lifted spirits around King Power Stadium.
So what else should we be noticing?
What's the one thing nobody is talking about - good or bad - about the Foxes?
Buonanotte's moment of redemptionpublished at 09:05 23 October
09:05 23 October
Pat Nevin Former footballer and presenter
A bonus, heartwarming story for you.
Leicester's Facundo Buonanotte went to assist an injured opponent at the weekend. Meanwhile, Southampton played the free-kick quickly, so Bounanotte’s man was free. They raced forward and, two passes later, scored. That is what you get for caring and not getting back into position in the Premier League.
Happily, Leicester’s budding Simon of Cyrene had his own redemption. He later scored, played exceptionally and his team won at the death - justice!
He didn’t get my man of thematch award however. Twenty-year-old Leicester sub Abdul Fatawu came on and terrorized the opposition defence. A ‘get to by-line’ specialist, watch him, he is going to be special.